UPDATE: Got 3rd place at an lc in NY with this list, 5-1 rec.
Pokemon: 11
Strategy:
The strategy behind this deck is to take advantage of Dragonite's Bust In ability using Max Potion and Cassius to remove damage and Muscle Band/LaserBank to hit the perfect 170 dmg with Jet Sonic while still giving the deck enough versatility to deal with different threats. I've done a lot of testing and this most likely wont be the final list but I think I'm very close to a competitively viable list. I'll try to explain some of my choices before I get some obvious comments.
Pokemon:
No Genesect: I feel like you have to choose either Dragonite or Genesect to make the deck as consistent as possible and Virizion does well enough against grass weak opponents.
3 Dragonite EX: The deck is really hurt if you only run 2 and 1 is prized because it reduces your ability to chain bust ins and heal.
2 Mewtwo: Mewtwo is a beautiful secondary attacker in this deck, being able to counter Lucario and other Mewtwo while also swinging for strong numbers on any other pokemon.
2 Tropius: I've got two words for you, Safeguard Counter. Safeguard will be a thing, a good thing at that, and it would serve you well to be prepared for it in whatever deck you're building. Tropius is a perfect SG counter, Suicune is weak to it and its Return attack can make for a game saving move late game.
1 Spiritomb: The only issue this deck has, if you haven't noticed it already, is OHKO decks. Namely Virizion/Genesect as it would be the only viable OHKO deck going forward with Seismitoad EX running amok. The deck has a pretty horrible match up with VirGen once you factor in G Booster so Spiritomb is here to make it more manageable.
Trainers:
No Super Scoop Up: I have tested this card until my fingers bled and its exclusion boils down to one thing, it's a flip. Even when running 4 most of the time you will be counting on this flip to do something crucial and a tails could easily mean a lost game. This happened enough to me that I had to remove it all together.
3 Lysandre: The deck is math heavy and Lysandre is the perfect card to take advantage of that. A clean 170 hp attacker being set up on the bench? That EX you hit for 50 with Virizion turn 2? A Garbodor/Trubish that might stifle your plays? That sixth prize just waiting to get Jet Sonic'd for the win? Lysandre takes care of it all.
Scramble Switch over Scoop Up Cyclone: Some people might say that Cyclone is the better choice and they would be right if the deck was 4 Virizion and 4 Dragonite but my deck has a bit more going on than that. I choose to run SS over Cyclone because SS opens up more plays and options. I can get the energy to a Mewtwo for a big ko or set something up to be max potioned while keeping all the energy in play. There are a number of things SS does that Cyclone doesn’t or can’t because my deck is less about Busting In and more about keeping my options open and readily available.
Energy:
7 Grass: At first glance 7 Grass can seem to be too little but in testing it has proved to be just enough. You only need to Emerald Slash once to get the deck running and because your energy is recycled most of the time having many grass isn’t as important. With 3 Skyla and Professor’s Letter you’d be hard pressed to find an issue setting up a turn 2 Emerald Slash.
3 Lightning and 2 DCE: One lightning for each Dragonite proves to pop up often enough although sometimes it can be an issue when Professor’s Letter is prized. The DCE’s are very helpful in that they allow Mewtwo to swing for 1 attachment and can also help it hit higher numbers for potential OHKOs.
If you actually got through the whole article I appreciate you taking your time to read it and if you have any of your own experiences or opinions feel free to comment.
Pokemon: 11
3 Virizion EX
3 Dragonite EX
2 Mewtwo EX
2 Tropius
1 Spiritomb
4 Professor Juniper
4 N
3 Skyla
3 Lysandre
2 Colress
1 Cassius
4 Hypnotoxic Laser
3 Ultra Ball
3 Muscle Band
2 Max Potion
2 Startling Megaphone
2 Switch
1 Professor's Letter
1 Scramble Switch
2 Virbank City Gym
2 Double Colorless
3 Lightning
7 Grass
Strategy:
The strategy behind this deck is to take advantage of Dragonite's Bust In ability using Max Potion and Cassius to remove damage and Muscle Band/LaserBank to hit the perfect 170 dmg with Jet Sonic while still giving the deck enough versatility to deal with different threats. I've done a lot of testing and this most likely wont be the final list but I think I'm very close to a competitively viable list. I'll try to explain some of my choices before I get some obvious comments.
Pokemon:
No Genesect: I feel like you have to choose either Dragonite or Genesect to make the deck as consistent as possible and Virizion does well enough against grass weak opponents.
3 Dragonite EX: The deck is really hurt if you only run 2 and 1 is prized because it reduces your ability to chain bust ins and heal.
2 Mewtwo: Mewtwo is a beautiful secondary attacker in this deck, being able to counter Lucario and other Mewtwo while also swinging for strong numbers on any other pokemon.
2 Tropius: I've got two words for you, Safeguard Counter. Safeguard will be a thing, a good thing at that, and it would serve you well to be prepared for it in whatever deck you're building. Tropius is a perfect SG counter, Suicune is weak to it and its Return attack can make for a game saving move late game.
1 Spiritomb: The only issue this deck has, if you haven't noticed it already, is OHKO decks. Namely Virizion/Genesect as it would be the only viable OHKO deck going forward with Seismitoad EX running amok. The deck has a pretty horrible match up with VirGen once you factor in G Booster so Spiritomb is here to make it more manageable.
Trainers:
No Super Scoop Up: I have tested this card until my fingers bled and its exclusion boils down to one thing, it's a flip. Even when running 4 most of the time you will be counting on this flip to do something crucial and a tails could easily mean a lost game. This happened enough to me that I had to remove it all together.
3 Lysandre: The deck is math heavy and Lysandre is the perfect card to take advantage of that. A clean 170 hp attacker being set up on the bench? That EX you hit for 50 with Virizion turn 2? A Garbodor/Trubish that might stifle your plays? That sixth prize just waiting to get Jet Sonic'd for the win? Lysandre takes care of it all.
Scramble Switch over Scoop Up Cyclone: Some people might say that Cyclone is the better choice and they would be right if the deck was 4 Virizion and 4 Dragonite but my deck has a bit more going on than that. I choose to run SS over Cyclone because SS opens up more plays and options. I can get the energy to a Mewtwo for a big ko or set something up to be max potioned while keeping all the energy in play. There are a number of things SS does that Cyclone doesn’t or can’t because my deck is less about Busting In and more about keeping my options open and readily available.
Energy:
7 Grass: At first glance 7 Grass can seem to be too little but in testing it has proved to be just enough. You only need to Emerald Slash once to get the deck running and because your energy is recycled most of the time having many grass isn’t as important. With 3 Skyla and Professor’s Letter you’d be hard pressed to find an issue setting up a turn 2 Emerald Slash.
3 Lightning and 2 DCE: One lightning for each Dragonite proves to pop up often enough although sometimes it can be an issue when Professor’s Letter is prized. The DCE’s are very helpful in that they allow Mewtwo to swing for 1 attachment and can also help it hit higher numbers for potential OHKOs.
If you actually got through the whole article I appreciate you taking your time to read it and if you have any of your own experiences or opinions feel free to comment.
