Expanded Dark deck help please

[TheGuardian118]

With 2 Lysandre/4 Seeker and 4 lasers you should be able to either switch out their active and KO another, or try to sleep their attacker which will make them miss the attack that blocks basics, allowing you to KO it. I'm not sure that Jolteon EX (The only one I know of with the attack to block basics) is very popular in expanded, at least I haven't seen it in the little I've played online. (I focus on standard mostly, I'm just getting into expanded online and all the live events I've attended have been standard)

If it does become a problem then you can either drop other Pokémon to buff up the Eevee line, or throw in a 1-of Pokémon Ranger to clear the effect. Escape rope + Lysandre works to, but that's a two card combo.

 

[drmatt07]

With 2 Lysandre/4 Seeker and 4 lasers you should be able to either switch out their active and KO another, or try to sleep their attacker which will make them miss the attack that blocks basics, allowing you to KO it. I'm not sure that Jolteon EX (The only one I know of with the attack to block basics) is very popular in expanded, at least I haven't seen it in the little I've played online. (I focus on standard mostly, I'm just getting into expanded online and all the live events I've attended have been standard)

If it does become a problem then you can either drop other Pokémon to buff up the Eevee line, or throw in a 1-of Pokémon Ranger to clear the effect. Escape rope + Lysandre works to, but that's a two card combo.

Ok here is my latest deck after reading everyone's suggestions.

11 pokemon

Yveltal ex x3
Darkrai ex (dark cloak ability) x2
Darkrai (dark pulse)
Tauros GX
Yveltal (fright night) x2
shaymin x2


13energy

9 dark
4 DX


36trainers

Fighting fury x2

Ultra ball x3
Trainers mail x3

Tool scrapper

VCG x3
H Lazer x4

Dark patch x 4
Vs seeker x4

Life dew/ scramble switch

Prof S x3
Lysandre x2
N
Ghetis
hex maniac
Az

Battle combusted x2

Thoughts are:
1) I've increased yveltal ex to 3 copies. Is this overkill?
2) should I swap 1x VCG for parallel city/reverse valley
3) keldeo and float stone? If so what to take out?

 

[drmatt07]

Hey, sorry I didn't see this earlier!

As noted above, I took this as Expanded, which you have it marked as. Unlimited is 100% a different monster, so I'm only limiting this to Expanded.

You use Ultra Ball so you don't use your support for the turn, which could be used on N, Lysandre, or Sycamore to help you get what you need or disrupt your opponent. As I stated before, Lugia-EX is bad. Less damage output and had a really common weakness. Also you don't really need more than 2 Yveltal-EX, but this is a game of preferences I guess.

For Jirachi-EX, generally you play it then Parallel City it into your discard without having to worry about it.

Max Elixir in this deck is inconsistent and not worth the spots, as I had stated above.

Yes, Sableye is an easy KO, but it forces your opponent to play the 7 prize game. Also, getting some items back at a key time can and is huge.

Trainers' Mail is just a huge consistency card, it belongs in the deck to grab you the piece you need for the Maxie play.

I see you mentioned Startling Megaphone, Tool Scrapper is better because you can get rid of tools on your Pokemon (like Head Ringer).


As for what @Fayld said:

The LaserBank version of Yveltal-EX is around and is decent. However, it doesn't see much play because it had trouble countering decks like Greninja and Manectric-EX.
As for Safeguard, you have either Yveltal BKT or XY to attack them.

Other cards to consider that I previously failed to mention:
AZ
Escape Rope
Xerosic

I'm incredibly familiar with Yveltal-EX decks, I've been running it since it came out, so feel free to ask more questions about it. I normally respond in a couple days and if I don't someone else certainly will.

11 pokemon

Yveltal ex x3
Darkrai ex (dark cloak ability) x2
Darkrai (dark pulse)
Tauros GX
Yveltal (fright night) x2
shaymin x2


13energy

9 dark
4 DX


36trainers

Fighting fury x2

Ultra ball x3
Trainers mail x3

Tool scrapper

VCG x3
H Lazer x4

Dark patch x 4
Vs seeker x4

Life dew/ scramble switch

Prof S x3
Lysandre x2
N
Ghetis
hex maniac
Az

Battle combusted x2

Thoughts are:
1) I've increased yveltal ex to 3 copies. Is this overkill?
2) should I swap 1x VCG for parallel city/reverse valley
3) keldeo and float stone? If so what to take out?

 

[Fayld]

Ok here is my latest deck after reading everyone's suggestions.

11 pokemon

Yveltal ex x3
Darkrai ex (dark cloak ability) x2
Darkrai (dark pulse)
Tauros GX
Yveltal (fright night) x2
shaymin x2


13energy

9 dark
4 DX


36trainers

Fighting fury x2

Ultra ball x3
Trainers mail x3

Tool scrapper

VCG x3
H Lazer x4

Dark patch x 4
Vs seeker x4

Life dew/ scramble switch

Prof S x3
Lysandre x2
N
Ghetis
hex maniac
Az

Battle combusted x2

Thoughts are:
1) I've increased yveltal ex to 3 copies. Is this overkill?
2) should I swap 1x VCG for parallel city/reverse valley
3) keldeo and float stone? If so what to take out?

1. Dump life dew. I don't think it does a ton for you in this deck and most decks in expanded have quick ways to remove tools.
2. I would probably dump Ghetsis for a second N.
3. The Yveltal are a good amount.
4. I would probably drop Fright Night to 1 and drop Dark Pulse altogether and add a Keldeo + Float Stone.
5. Maybe play around with the stadiums to see what you like. The 30 tick (60 if they don't do anything about it) is pretty wicked though.

 

[Latte1504]

A lot of people have said to drop umbreon and I do understand their points but I fear that if I do I then have only basic attackers which leaves me vulnerable to those with abilities/ attacks which prevent basics hurting them? What do you think?

Play ranger and/or hex

 

[drmatt07]

1. Dump life dew. I don't think it does a ton for you in this deck and most decks in expanded have quick ways to remove tools.
2. I would probably dump Ghetsis for a second N.
3. The Yveltal are a good amount.
4. I would probably drop Fright Night to 1 and drop Dark Pulse altogether and add a Keldeo + Float Stone.
5. Maybe play around with the stadiums to see what you like. The 30 tick (60 if they don't do anything about it) is pretty wicked though.

What is your opinion of scramble switch? Good for this type of deck?

 

[Fayld]

What is your opinion of scramble switch? Good for this type of deck?

Scramble switch could be pretty useful. Not sure I think it is more useful than Computer Search / Dowsing Machine because I think it might be more situational than either, but I think it is a card that would see use almost every game too. If you have it and like it, I see no reason not to play it.

 

[ProZlockie]

11 pokemon

Yveltal ex x3
Darkrai ex (dark cloak ability) x2
Darkrai (dark pulse)
Tauros GX
Yveltal (fright night) x2
shaymin x2


13energy

9 dark
4 DX


36trainers

Fighting fury x2

Ultra ball x3
Trainers mail x3

Tool scrapper

VCG x3
H Lazer x4

Dark patch x 4
Vs seeker x4

Life dew/ scramble switch

Prof S x3
Lysandre x2
N
Ghetis
hex maniac
Az

Battle combusted x2

Thoughts are:
1) I've increased yveltal ex to 3 copies. Is this overkill?
2) should I swap 1x VCG for parallel city/reverse valley
3) keldeo and float stone? If so what to take out?

Do not play Life Dew or Scramble Switch in this deck, it is a wasted slot. Play either Computer Search or Dowsing Machine, with Computer Search being the better option. I'd also switch in a Parallel City, helps a lot. I'd also find a spot for Jirachi-EX on top of Keldeo-EX and Float Stone. Bump the Ultra Ball count to 4.

Also, 100% do not take out Ghetsis. That card is way too powerful to not include, especially if you get it on your first turn.

 

[drmatt07]

Do not play Life Dew or Scramble Switch in this deck, it is a wasted slot. Play either Computer Search or Dowsing Machine, with Computer Search being the better option. I'd also switch in a Parallel City, helps a lot. I'd also find a spot for Jirachi-EX on top of Keldeo-EX and Float Stone. Bump the Ultra Ball count to 4.

Also, 100% do not take out Ghetsis. That card is way too powerful to not include, especially if you get it on your first turn.

What are you using the computer search to find? To complete a lazer bank combo? I just rarely find myself desperate for a particular card apart from to complete that combo and in that case shouldn't I be using skylar? What would you sacrifice for the additional 4 cards of ultra ball, jirachi, keldeo and float stone?

 

[drmatt07]

Scramble switch could be pretty useful. Not sure I think it is more useful than Computer Search / Dowsing Machine because I think it might be more situational than either, but I think it is a card that would see use almost every game too. If you have it and like it, I see no reason not to play it.

This may sound like a stupid question but in my kind of deck what am I using computer search to find? Or is it more just a consistency card?

 

[Fayld]

This may sound like a stupid question but in my kind of deck what am I using computer search to find? Or is it more just a consistency card?

It is among the best consistency cards early. You can literally grab anything you think might help for the price of two cards in your hand. Laser banks probably makes less use of it than other decks though. It really just depends on what you want to do in your deck. I find in decks that don't struggle to set up that I prefer dowsing machine which gets stronger as the game goes on. But that's personal preference. There are people who will rigidly say computer search end of story, but it isn't. If you want to make sure you hit that early laser or bank, computer search is for you. If you want to extend your trainers by one trainer, dowsing machine is better. If you want to make sure your slow two shot bird makes it out alive while setting up a second bird with one card, scramble switch makes a ton of sense.

As with everything else, the decision is deck and style specific. Computer search is consensus best all around ace spec. Whether there is another that is better depends on you.