Standard Fun and Effective Drampa GX/Zoroark GX Deck!

[HouchinsDJ]

Here is a Drampa GX/Zoroark GX deck I put together online and have been play-testing with good results. The Drampa GX/Zoroark archetype was big when Guardians Rising came out but dropped off after Drampa GX started getting paired with Garbodor instead. With the release of Zoroark GX, I wanted to take another look at the deck and see if it was viable. Drampa GX/Zoroark also gained some new weapons with Burning Shadows and Shining Legends with cards like Po Town and Hoopa. This deck has been a lot of fun to play so far and I would like to know what you all think. I'll explain some card choices below.

****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******

##Pokémon - 15

* 2 Drampa-GX GRI 142
* 4 Zorua BKT 89
* 1 Zoroark BKT 91
* 3 Zoroark-GX SLG 53
* 1 Tapu Koko PR-SM SM30
* 1 Hoopa SLG 55
* 3 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 137

##Trainer Cards - 34

* 4 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
* 4 N NVI 92
* 4 Guzma BUS 115
* 2 Mallow GRI 145
* 1 Brigette BKT 161
* 1 Acerola BUS 142
* 4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
* 2 Field Blower GRI 125
* 2 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Special Charge STS 105
* 4 Choice Band GRI 121
* 2 Float Stone BKT 137
* 3 Po Town BUS 121

##Energy - 11

* 4 Double Colorless Energy SLG 69
* 7 Darkness Energy 7

Total Cards - 60

****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******

While Zoroark is the star of the show, Drampa is the needed muscle. The most damage that Riotous Beating can deal is 150 which is not enough to get OHKOs on GXs like Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, opposing Drampa, as well a few others. Drampa's Berserk can hit 180 damage which is the benchmark in this format to get those OHKOs. With Po Town, GXs like Golisopod, Ninetales, and even Gardevoir can be brought down to within KO range for Drampa.

Hoopa is the unsung hero of this deck. We've seen how powerful Alolan Ninetales' Luminous Barrier can be. Hoopa gets the same ability, but with the added bonus of being a Basic. If your opponents are unprepared for Hoopa, they're going to have a bad time getting around it.

Mallow is a card that I've had lengthy discussions about with other PokéBeach members. Some feel like it's a necessity in any deck running Zoroark GX while others feel like it's more of a luxury. I tend to fall somewhere in the middle of those two arguments. I think it has amazing potential, but if you don't have the deck space for at least two then you shouldn't run any. Mallow is great once you're set up and need a card or two. Being able to get that needed DCE or Choice Band for the KO can win you the game. I think two Mallow is the right number in this deck.

I'm not sure if 7 Dark Energy is too much. I'm mainly relying on DCE, which is why I'm playing the Special Charge. I think I could cut one or two Dark Energy and be okay, but I'm not really sure what more this deck needs. I thought about adding an Espeon EX since I'm playing Po Town and Tapu Koko, but I don't know if I'd consider this a focused damage spread deck. I would be interesting in hearing what you all think I could add tech-wise!

 

[Duo]

I think slashing 1 basic energy for 1 more Acerola would be a good call. Acerola will help keep your DCEs out of the discard pile if you ever take spread damage from a Koko or just doing it off of Po Towning your own Zoroark GXs. 3 Acerola would definitely be over kill, but I think having 2 for the draw rate is fine. Between a surplus of basic enery or a surplus of supporters that might win you the game, I would rather take the surplus of supporters.

Outside of that I don't think there's anything else I would fudge about the list. I think Po Town is a really good card and strategy especially if you come prepared with Acerola.

 

[HouchinsDJ]

I think slashing 1 basic energy for 1 more Acerola would be a good call. Acerola will help keep your DCEs out of the discard pile if you ever take spread damage from a Koko or just doing it off of Po Towning your own Zoroark GXs. 3 Acerola would definitely be over kill, but I think having 2 for the draw rate is fine. Between a surplus of basic enery or a surplus of supporters that might win you the game, I would rather take the surplus of supporters.

Outside of that I don't think there's anything else I would fudge about the list. I think Po Town is a really good card and strategy especially if you come prepared with Acerola.

A second Acerola makes sense so I'll cut an Energy for that. I agree, Po Town is really good in this format. It makes taking on those Stage 2 decks a bit more manageable.

I think this deck has some real potential as long as Fighting-type archtypes don't become popular. Lycanroc is seeing a little play because of all the Japanese Lycanroc/Zoroark decks, but it's held in check by Golisopod. Buzzwole will be something to look out for once Crimson Invasion is released, but for now I think this deck has some solid match-ups and can go 50/50 with Gardevoir since it's not reliant on Stage 2s and has Po Town to help Drampa get those KOs. So far, this is the best list I've played that uses Zoroark GX.