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Standard Garchomp (Devour EX Decks)

Yes, the initial list has some issues, but I wouldn't say it's not competitive. Using my list, which I've tried to keep super consistent with the Octillery engine, I tested 6 matches and went 5-1. Granted, it's not a huge sample size, but it holds true to my testing in the past with the deck.

Wins
Mega Sceptile/Vileplume (What should've been an auto-loss was a domination simply because I could OHKO EXs)
Xerneas BREAK/Giratina (Really close actually, but I was able to Lysandre a Shaymin early to get ahead)
Primal Groudon/Carbink BREAK (Garchomp is just faster)
Volcanion (full disclosure, it was a pretty janky build, but I was set up to KO every Volcanion on the board w/ Lysandre in hand)
Darkrai/Hypno (Hypno was annoying, but hitting Darkrai for weakness is too easy)

Loss
Rainbow Road (It was CLOSE, mainly because hitting 120 against Xerneas BKT is infinitely easier than hitting 130 against the Xerneas with Geomancy, but Galvantula decimated my 60 HP babies on the bench)

Conclusion: After significant testing, the Octillery build with no Talonflame is vastly superior.
 
So did you just pull the 4 TF and add 1 Remoraid and 1 Octillery? What were the other 2 cards that you plugged in? Or are you running a 3-3 line of Remoraid Octillery?
 
I did a 2-2 Remoraid/Octillery line and zero Talonflame. Everything else is just super streamlined, basically no techs at all, which of course creates some auto losses. I dropped Ranger so Glaceon just can't be dealt with. Same with Karen so Vespiquen will be an issue. No Hex or Bridgette. No Eco Arm, no Rope, just all in on getting Garchomps out and rolling as quickly as possible. Seems to work a lot better.
 
so. something like this then? (added brigette since 3x trainers mail and it is amazing most of the time. especially with 2-2 octillery line)

(either faded town or silent lab.)
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******

##Pokémon - 14

* 4 Gible BKP 68
* 2 Gabite BKP 69
* 4 Garchomp BKP 70
* 2 Remoraid BKT 32
* 2 Octillery BKT 33

##Trainer Cards - 37

* 4 Bursting Balloon BKP 97
* 3 Trainers' Mail ROS 92
* 3 Rare Candy PRC 135
* 2 Faded Town AOR 73
* 2 Super Rod BKT 149
* 2 Lysandre AOR 78
* 4 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
* 4 Ultra Ball FLF 99
* 1 Town Map BKT 150
* 2 Float Stone BKT 137
* 4 VS Seeker ROS 110
* 3 N FAC 105
* 2 Level Ball NXD 89
* 1 Brigette BKT 134

##Energy - 9

* 4 Strong Energy FAC 115
* 5 Fighting Energy Energy 6

Total Cards - 60

****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
 
To me, it looks great - I'm no expert but it has the core of consistency to it. Again, I prefer silent lab. Ideally you want to be KOing their EXs before they even have the chance to Mega Evolve, so Faded Town seems like too little too late, but I can see it merit, especially when it comes to the mega mew two matchup. Maybe in that case a copy of Mew EX would be good to copy a benched garchomp's attack. BUT then again you couldn't attach strong energy to it, so it'd be hard to pull off. Lots to think about, but in the end I think with a rogue deck like this consistency is key.
 
yeah. i think you have to streamline it even though therea re soo many cards that make sense and would e good. you really need consistant draw support. i feel that talonflama and octillery both work
but in different ways. interesting to say the least
 
I too ran a Garchomp deck last season and continue to run a Garchomp deck this season too, but in Expanded format only.

You now have a very nice list, IMO; so, any further changes are just perhaps "tweaks" to fit your play style and/or meta game in your area. So, following are a few thoughts for your consideration:
  • In the current Standard game format, I'm finding that there are quite a few match-ups where non-EX Pokémon are used strategically in certain decks (e.g., Hoopa, Volcanion, Yanmega, etc.); so, your 1HKO opportunities on opponents' EX Pokémon may be fewer.
  • I'd suggest replacing 1 Trainer's Mail with Parallel City. This Stadium is by far, IMO, the most useful counter against certain decks like Rainbow Force and M Rayquaza EX.
  • Given that you are running a 2-2 Octillery line (and a Ball engine to get them out), consider replacing 1 Professor Sycamore (which could "hurt" more than help after your Octillery(s) are setup mid-to-late game) and 1 N with 2 Judge in order to disrupt your opponent's hand.
  • Town Map is a card which I just don't run - after going through my deck via an Ultra or Level Ball, I can "take inventory" of my resources and determine what's prized. So, consider replacing Town Map with another F energy or Delinquent (for more opponent's hand disruption and quite useful when you only run 2 Stadiums - which will not win the Stadium "war" in many cases).
  • I'm not a fan of Bursting Balloon since I seem to "get around" them in games where my opponent plays them. However, in your case, after doing some math, those seem critical to use in order to 1HKO opponents' EX Pokémon in response to your opponent's earlier attack. So, running an Eco Arm to retrieve discarded Balloons would be helpful. Consider replacing a Float Stone for an Eco Arm.
I hope you find these comments helpful.
 
I have to agree with @TuxedoBlack, Sycamore is more of nuisance than a help here. I've done some more testing and found that 4 N with only 1 or 2 Sycamore is more than sufficient. I've even tested a bit w/ no Sycamore at all and quite honestly I didn't miss him, handsome though he is. Since you're predominantly using N, Skyla (a card I couldn't live without in this deck), Lysandre, and Teammates (another necessity) every turn anyway, the only time you'll need Sycamore is when Garb shuts down Octillery....which brings me to my next point: try playing 1 Minccino. I've only tested it minimally (mainly because I ran into 4 M Scizor/Garb decks in a row this morning) and found that Garb basically kills this deck since we're using the Octillery engine to continually draw cards. He's an easy Level Ball target, single attachment attacker, who is just unbelievable. Now that he's in my list, I can't imagine taking him out. Not only can he deactivate Garb, he can knock off FFBs for easier knockouts, dispose of Links to disrupt Megas, and get a turn ahead of anything running EXP Share. So so good.

I'm very much intrigued by the idea of using Judge. I've had similar thoughts about playing 1 Ace Trainer like Greninja does because I've been using N as my primary draw/disruption card, but early game, it often helps my opponent gain an extra card or two. I'll test them both out and report back.

(P.S. I went 2-2 against M Scizor even with Garb, which is a pretty good split I think, considering its one of the better, more prevalent decks in the format.) :)
 
I've been really enjoying running Garchomp/Talonflame lately. Here's the decklist I've been using:

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

##Pokémon - 12

* 4 Talonflame STS 96
* 3 Gible BKP 68
* 2 Gabite BKP 69
* 3 Garchomp BKP 70

##Trainer Cards - 38

* 4 Bursting Balloon BKP 97
* 1 Lysandre FLF 90
* 2 Super Rod BKT 149
* 3 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
* 1 Escape Rope PRC 127
* 2 Teammates PRC 141
* 3 Silent Lab PRC 140
* 4 N FAC 105
* 1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
* 1 Pokémon Ranger STS 104
* 3 Rare Candy PRC 135
* 4 Ultra Ball ROS 93
* 2 Random Receiver DEX 99
* 4 VS Seeker PHF 109
* 3 Level Ball NXD 89

##Energy - 10

* 4 Strong Energy FFI 104
* 6 Fighting Energy Energy 6

Total Cards - 60

****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
 
ive found with personal experience tahat crushing hammers are better than baloons. and if you are going to run ballons. 1 eco arm goes a long way :)
 
@Sonkyhaner coin flip cards have never done well for me - maybe I just have innately bad luck? Anyway, the Eco Arm idea seems solid. What should I drop? I was thinking of dropping 1 Level Ball for the Eco Arm.

Thoughts, all?
 
A few thoughts for your consideration:
  • I too run Garchomp, but I run a 4-2-4 line with only 2 Rare Candy. This configuration works quite well for me, especially if running 4 Talonflame.
  • Consider replacing the 2 Super Rods with 1 Sacred Ash (Garchomp can recover discarded energy; so, you need only to recover and recycle Pokémon) and another F energy.
  • 1 Teammate should be sufficient So, consider replacing 1 with an Eco Arm.
  • Between Talonflame's Aero Blitz and 3 Professor Sycamore, the remaining 4 N may end up "helping" your opponent more than hurting. Consider replacing 2 Ns with either 2 Judge or 1 Judge and 1 Delinquent or 1 Judge and 1 Shauna. This will provide you more card-draw diversity which can be quite helpful during games.
  • IMO, a 2nd Lysandre is much more important than a 2nd Random Receiver.
  • 4 Ultra Balls seem excessive given Aero Blitz and your card-draw support. Consider replacing 1 of these with another F energy.
I too am not a fan of Bursting Balloons, like @Sonkyhaner. An alternative, if you wish to consider other than 1 Enhanced Hammer and 3 Crushing Hammers, is a 2-2 Carbink (Safeguard) BREAK line.

I hope you find these comments helpful.
 
Pokemon ranger is a bad teck in garchomp deck. it really only stops glacion. and in that matchup you just lysandre around it. so i would replace thar with eco arm. second lysandre is great. and i do not agree that 1 teamates is enough. since it is so important. 2 rare candy is too little given that you can have them prized. i would say 3 minimum. 4 ultra balls are great. i have over 200 games playes with my garchomp talonflame deck.and i can from personal experience say that 3 is nor sufficient
 
Here's the updated list I'm running. I did replace the Pokemon Ranger with Eco Arm, and that has been coming in very handy with adding extra damage to the bench - or causing my opponent to rethink a strategy. I have been having an issue or two on the online game with stuff like Magearna (which is glitched to stop Bursting Balloon damage...) but otherwise its running well. Thoughts?

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

##Pokémon - 12

* 4 Talonflame STS 96
* 3 Gible BKP 68
* 2 Gabite BKP 69
* 3 Garchomp BKP 70

##Trainer Cards - 38

* 4 Bursting Balloon BKP 97
* 1 Eco Arm AOR 71
* 1 Lysandre FLF 90
* 2 Super Rod BKT 149
* 3 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
* 1 Escape Rope PRC 127
* 2 Teammates PRC 141
* 3 Silent Lab PRC 140
* 4 N FAC 105
* 1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
* 3 Rare Candy PRC 135
* 4 Ultra Ball ROS 93
* 2 Random Receiver DEX 99
* 4 VS Seeker PHF 109
* 3 Level Ball NXD 89

##Energy - 10

* 4 Strong Energy FFI 104
* 6 Fighting Energy Energy 6

Total Cards - 60

****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
 
Your list looks like a really promising budget deck for this season. Potentially thing about adding in some trainers mail, taking out a level ball, 1 random receiver, and 2 N. This will work magic in this deck, accelerating it to a new pace. The card is really, really great.
 
I've been testing out your changes, and so far they have improved things. I'm concerned about the Sycamore use, trying to avoid discarding Garchomp pieces, so still testing.
 
@CombatPastor, it's no glitch - Magearna does indeed block Bursting Balloons. I thought it was a bug at first too, but if you read the text of Magearna'a ability very closely, it actually reads that it blocks "effects of your opponent's attacks" NOT "effects of your opponent's Pokemon's attacks," so it falls under that umbrella since it applies damage counters as part of an attack you (i.e. the opponent in this instance) set in motion. Yet another completely confusing moment in the life of Magearna EX lol
 
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