Dark X (Darkrai Mandibuzz Zoroark Hydregion)

[Archeops]

I have a new deck I just have been wanting to build. I haven't put a ton of though into the list, so I thought I'd ask you guys to help with it.

x2 Darkai EX
2-2 Mandibuzz (DR)
3-3 Zoroark (DR)
3-1-2 Hydregion

Pokemon: 18

x4 Dark Patch
x4 Darkness claw
x3 Ultra ball
x3 Junk Arm
x3 N
x3 PONT
x3 Rare Candy
x2 Collector
x2 Catcher

T/S/S: 28

x4 SP. Dark
x3 DCE
x6 Dark

Energy: 13

 

[Jirachi]

You need more draw power. I'm not sure if 6 will be enough. I also do not think 2 collector will be enough because it isn't very consistent with only 2. The only room I can find at the moment is
-1 dark patch
-1 darkness claw
and the one extra space you have. I can't really find much space right now to fit those in right now.

 

[Archeops]

So what do you suggest? Im thinking adding one mor collector and one more N in the place of your suggestion.

 

[JimboJumbo]

Drop Hydregion, doesn't do much for the deck apart from hog resources and give up prizes easily to common Terrakioin. Granted, yes the entire deck is weak to fighting, the other pokes aren't stages 2s, so that's a plus at least.

The deck doesn't quite seem fast enough yet, so I agree that more draw is imperative, but I think you'd have better luck using Sages/Junipers over Ns. Get through your deck faster, knowing that just about whatever you discard or drop from Sage's can be retrieved with Junk Arm/Dark Patch (Bar special energies). Pokegear or two can also help you search out those supporters. Super Rod for recovery if you're forced to make the tough call and discard Pokes that you don't need now.

I don't know why you'd want to consider Mandibuzz at all, the Dark Explorers Zoroark is much better at doing the same thing essentially. Personally, I would even tech in a BW Zoroark to help against the EXs that aren't weak to fighting, I'll explain about that in a second.

Without Mandibuzz, Hydregion or Rare Candy, you have much more room for the toolbox element, which essentially means (in the case you didn't know) tech'ing your deck do deal with the current meta. Being able to find ways to put in those great techs like Terrakion (For mirror or Eel decks), Mewtwo (Handle Mewtwos and other non-psychic energy hogs) is what makes a tech a toolbox rather than having a consistent theme. Keeping that in mind, with those changes you should have more room to experiment with your meta and tech appropriately.

 

[Archeops]

Thanks for that insight! I'm not one hundred percent on droping hydregion just yet, but It does take up a bit of room.

Reason for Mandibuzz: The DE mandibuzz's second attack is this:

Dark Pulse {C}{C} 20+
This attack does ten more damage for each darkness energy attached to your pokemon.

If you didn't DCE onto mandibuzz it already does 40, and plus with darkness claw that's 60, and then counting your benched pokemon, you can fairly easily get into 100+ damage per turn.

Mandibuzz also has resistance to rock type pokemon, so It's sorta my counter, even though it's not a to good one.

Updated list coming soon!

 

[JimboJumbo]

I can see how it CAN work but that would mean attaching energies to your extra pokemon when not completely necessary in order to get Mandibuzz to deal any decent damage. While Fighting types aren't HUGE now, they will likely see more play because of the amount of Dark Types that are showing up, the viable ones at least.

I suggest 4-4 Zoroark in that case because the damage output is much higher with less resources. For the same DCE and a bench full of dark types, which shouldn't be an issue, you can hit 120 damage base, excluding Darkness Claw and Darkness Energy. Between the extra damage from those and Darkrai's clean up potential, I think focusing on that would be the much better play than the space and fragility that Mandibuzz and Hydregion eat up.

Since he is colourless, the obvious Tornadus comes to mind if fighting types pose a threat to this deck, but that's pretty much where the toolbox essence of the deck comes in. Once you've developed that air tight core, you're free to load in all the necessary techs to turn match ups from an unfavorable one into a decent if not favorable one.