Standard Empoleon Deck

[Logjam]

Hello all! I am relatively new to competitive TCG, but I have been going to my local League event for many years. I just attended my first tournament with this deck that uses Empoleon:

Pokemon*15:

• Empoleon*4
• Prinplup*2
• Piplup*4
• Alolan Vulpix*2
• Oranguru*2
• Tapu Lele Gx*1

Trainers*35:

• Rare Candy*4
• Aqua Patch*4
• Ultra Ball*4
• Nest Ball*3
• Field Blower*1
• Rescue Stretcher*1
• Cynthia*4
• Judge*3
• Guzma*2
• Professor Kukui*2
• Apricorn Maker*1
• Choice Band*3
• Escape Board*2
• Brooklet Hill*2

Energy*10:

• Counter Energy*2
• Water Energy*8

This deck worked surprisingly well, but I had trouble finding the rare candies and Guzma when I needed them. I was also thinking of adding a baby alolan ninetails for an anti-GX wall, a volcanion prism star to help manipulate which pokemon is active, and/or Crasher Wake to find those pesky rare candies (although I think i would need more energy to use him). If I did this though, I wouldn't know what cards to remove. What to do you guys think?

 

[Attix]

I've found that Zoroark-GX works well alongside Empoleon, since both are powered up when your bench is full. Zoroark can also provide you with some much-needed draw support to help find those Rare Candies. If you run it, I suggest also running Mallow to get any two cards you want.

-1 Alolan Vulpix (one is all you need)
-1 Oranguru (ditto)
-2 Professor Kukui
-2 Ultra Ball (4's a little excessive IMO)
-1 Judge
-1 Water Energy

+2 Zorua SLG 52
+2 Zoroark-GX SLG
+2 Mallow
+2 Double Colorless Energy

Get Zoro up and running early in the game, Trade away Water Energies to get the cards you want, then Aqua Pach 'em back.

 

[Logjam]

Thanks for the advice!

I've found that Zoroark-GX works well alongside Empoleon, since both are powered up when your bench is full. Zoroark can also provide you with some much-needed draw support to help find those Rare Candies. If you run it, I suggest also running Mallow to get any two cards you want.

-1 Alolan Vulpix (one is all you need)
-1 Oranguru (ditto)
-2 Professor Kukui
-2 Ultra Ball (4's a little excessive IMO)
-1 Judge
-1 Water Energy

+2 Zorua SLG 52
+2 Zoroark-GX SLG
+2 Mallow
+2 Double Colorless Energy

Get Zoro up and running early in the game, Trade away Water Energies to get the cards you want, then Aqua Pach 'em back.

Two questions: how do you deal with zoro's two star retreat cost, and what ditto are you referring to?

 

[Attix]

Thanks for the advice!


Two questions: how do you deal with zoro's two star retreat cost, and what ditto are you referring to?

"Ditto" as in "like Alolan Vulpix, one Oranguru is all you need," not the Pokémon.

As for the retreat cost, you can easily Guzma it out once it's finished its job, or put Escape Board on it and attach a Water energy before Aqua Patching it back onto one of your benched guys.