So I've played around a lot with Espeon to varying degrees of success, but I think I have a formula for a winner in Guardians and especially beyond
#Pokémon - 14
4 Eevee
2 Tapu Koko
1 Meowth FCO
3 Espeon-GX
2 Espeon-EX
2 Mew
Supporters - 12
3 N
2 Lysandre
4 Professor Sycamore
1 Team Flare Grunt
1 Skyla
1 Hex Maniac
Items/stadiums - 22
3 Trainers' Mail
2 Field Blower
2 Float Stone
2 Special Charge
1 Professor's Letter
2 Enhanced Hammer
4 Nest Ball
2 Rescue Stretcher
4 VS Seeker
Energy - 12
8 Psychic Energy
4 Double Colorless Energy
The basic strategy here is pretty simple: Spread damage around, then use Espeon-EX's Miraculous Shine to devolve the opponent's pokemon, reducing their HP. This HP reduction is absolutely massive against Pokemon-GX decks, Solgaleo falls from 250 to 90, Lurantis from 210 to 60, Decidueye from 240 to 80, ect.
As I currently play it, the deck uses a pair of Jolteon-EX as an answer to basics and only one Espeon-EX, but I think as time goes on and GX decks start to really take off, this style of deck utilizing Miraculous Shine will only get stronger. Cards from SM3 like the 1 prize Tapu Lele and the brand new Weavile will likely be good enough to replace Espeon-GX in this deck entirely, but for the time being Espeon is the biggest and most precise source of spread damage out there.
As for not using Shaymin, it's purposeful. The deck needs a lot of bench space to operate well and the combination of nest balls and Espeon GX's ability to self search makes the extra draw power Shaymin offers less valuable. The fact that the deck has several nice no retreat basics as well as Eevee to start with also makes the odd Shaymin start feel much more detrimental than it should. My only really bad start here is Meowth-only which is very low probability.
#Pokémon - 14
4 Eevee
2 Tapu Koko
1 Meowth FCO
3 Espeon-GX
2 Espeon-EX
2 Mew
Supporters - 12
3 N
2 Lysandre
4 Professor Sycamore
1 Team Flare Grunt
1 Skyla
1 Hex Maniac
Items/stadiums - 22
3 Trainers' Mail
2 Field Blower
2 Float Stone
2 Special Charge
1 Professor's Letter
2 Enhanced Hammer
4 Nest Ball
2 Rescue Stretcher
4 VS Seeker
Energy - 12
8 Psychic Energy
4 Double Colorless Energy
The basic strategy here is pretty simple: Spread damage around, then use Espeon-EX's Miraculous Shine to devolve the opponent's pokemon, reducing their HP. This HP reduction is absolutely massive against Pokemon-GX decks, Solgaleo falls from 250 to 90, Lurantis from 210 to 60, Decidueye from 240 to 80, ect.
As I currently play it, the deck uses a pair of Jolteon-EX as an answer to basics and only one Espeon-EX, but I think as time goes on and GX decks start to really take off, this style of deck utilizing Miraculous Shine will only get stronger. Cards from SM3 like the 1 prize Tapu Lele and the brand new Weavile will likely be good enough to replace Espeon-GX in this deck entirely, but for the time being Espeon is the biggest and most precise source of spread damage out there.
As for not using Shaymin, it's purposeful. The deck needs a lot of bench space to operate well and the combination of nest balls and Espeon GX's ability to self search makes the extra draw power Shaymin offers less valuable. The fact that the deck has several nice no retreat basics as well as Eevee to start with also makes the odd Shaymin start feel much more detrimental than it should. My only really bad start here is Meowth-only which is very low probability.