Standard Glaceon-Ninetales

[TuxedoBlack]

Since I really like spread decks, following is another deck idea I've started testing. After reviewing, please provide feedback and/or suggested changes for improvement. Thanks.

Pokémon (18)
2 Alolan Ninetales GX
1 Alolan Ninetales (Luminous Barrier)
4 Alolan Vulpix
4 Eevee (Energy Evolution)
3 Glaceon GX
2 Tapu Koko (Flying Flip)
2 Tapu Lele GX

Trainers (30)
2 Acerola
4 Aqua Patch
3 Brigette
1 Brooklet Hill
2 Cynthia
2 Field Blower
3 Guzma
2 Lillie
2 N
1 Parallel City
3 Professor Sycamore
1 Special Charge
1 Super Rod
3 Ultra Ball

Energy (12)
4 Double Colorless
8 Water

Deck Strategy
Utilize the Aqua Patches (for energy-attachment acceleration) to get a Glaceon GX in place as soon as possible to start inflicting damage onto opponent's "key" Pokémon at least by T3. In this case, Glaceon GX is the preferred primary attacker since its Ability, Freezing Glare, negates all opponent's GX and EX Pokémon's Abilities. Glaceon GX's Frost Bullet attack has a 90-30 damage output which can build up fast and potentially lead to a game winning position.

Other Comments
Alolan Ninetales GX provides good synergy with Glaceon GX too:

• Its Basic, Alolan Vulpix's Beacon attack provides 2-card search capability;
• Its Ice Blade can be used also to snipe the opponent's bench; and
• The Blizzard Edge attack discards energy which can be recovered and reattached via the Aqua Patches.

Interestingly enough, any Basic in this deck is, at least, a decent starter; however, 4 (Alolan Vulpix) are fantastic and Eevee is really good too. Along with solid counts of Tapu Lele GX, Brigette and Ultra Ball, there is a strong likelihood (92%+) of the T1-T2 bench setup.

Other cards under consideration for incorporation include: Espeon EX, Meowstic (Ear Influence), Bodybuilding Dumbbells, and Choice Band.

Early testing thus far, especially against "Zoroark GX-heavy" has been favorable.

Thoughts?

 

[Lord Goomy]

I'm biased against playing more basics than evolutions for no particular reason.
However, due to this stage 1 heavy list, perhaps we could do:
-1 Brooklet Hill
-2 Water Energy

+2 Unit Energy GFW
+1 Leafeon GX

This combo, should you choose to accept and pull off, will let you set up all the Stage 1ness you need at the sacrifice of a GX attack.
As someone who hasn't played this or against this, I'm not the person that should be giving any advice, but if you so feel the need, please do try it out.

May the Prize Cards be ever in your favor.

 

[Ecko9i6]

+2 Unit Energy GFW
+1 Leafeon GX

I don't think throwing in a Leafeon and 2 Unit Energy GFW is going to help this deck very much.


You're relying on 2/60 cards in your deck to power up 1 Pokemon, which you also only have 1 of in your deck (Leafeon). You also can't activate energy evolution if you attach the Unit Energy GFW to eevee. I see the point in being able to also use Unit energy GFW as both water and grass, but then that kind of defeats the purpose of having aqua patch to accelerate energy.


You definitely need to make space for another Ultra ball, even if you are playing 4 alolan Vulpix. Being able to search for any pokemon and use it during your turn is just too powerful. Beacon forces you to wait until next turn to make anything happen.

If you're only going to run 1 brooklet, I recommend you take it out of the deck. It's only good if you can use it to get what you need consistently. Only having one will make your odds of having it when you need it be very low.

I would also recommend that you get rid of your 2 tapu koko and replace them with 2 float stones. The 20 damage spread is good, but it doesn't help your numbers very much. Most Pokemon have 210 HP right now so hitting with 1 flying flip will only put something at 190, which is still out of knockout range for you. You don't run any choice band so the most you'll ever be able to hit is 160 with Ninetales GX (unless your opponent has tons of energy on the active and you attack with lele), which will still only put their Pokemon at 180 total damage. Even if you got 2 flying flips, it would still be at 200 and most Stage 1 decks seem to be running Acerola.

Also, I think Lillie will not help you very much in your deck because you don't have a way to get rid of cards from your hand consistently. Decks like Buzzwole play Lillie because you can pretty much dump your entire hand on the field in one turn then Lillie for 6-8 cards.

Here is a recap of my recommendations:

- 1 Brooklet Hill
- 2 Tapu Koko
-2 Lillie

+ 1 Ultra Ball
+ 2 Float Stones
+ 2 Choice Bands

Choice band would be good, but I feel like you need 3 and I'm not sure where you would make room for that. Without Choice Band, you can't reliably 2 Shot anything. You would have to rely on using Blizzard Edge with Ninetales and then follow up with either Ice blade or Glaceon GX for the knockout. Your opponent can simply use Acerola and undo all the work you did.

Also, don't use Espeon EX, Meowstic or Bodybuilding Dumbbells. As much as you want this to be a spread deck, it really doesn't work that way. The fact that Glaceon GX allows you to place counters on a benched pokemon helps you set up to take out knockouts with Ninetales GX. This requires you to have choice band though, otherwise its more of a nuisance than anything. Meowstic would require you to use psychic energy to use Ear Influence, which would cut your consistency. You would also have to include espurr to be able to evolve into meowstic, which isn't very useful to be honest. Espeon EX would be okay, but you don't do enough spread damage to make a difference. Most basics now have 70 HP (with some exceptions), which makes it difficult to knock them out with spread.

Go for consistency and focus on taking K.O's in 2 hits. You have 2 great GX attacks that you can utilize to turn the match in your favor. I would recommend saving your GX for Glaceon as you can get a 1HKO on a benched pokemon that you hit for 30 damage (50 damage for each counter = 180 + 30 with choice band = 210)

 

[Dark Espeon]

Hi TuxedoBlack,

Nice deck. I would run this deck in a similar manner proposed by Ecko9i6. Start with Glaceon GX to set up consecutive ohkos with Alolan Ninetales GX. With this in mind consider these modifications:

Pokémon:
- 2 Tapu Koko (not needed since spread is predominately used to enable Alolan Ninetales GX to achieve ohkos)

Trainer:
- 2 Acerola (we are more and more heading toward a ohko format which reduces the relevance of Acerola)
- 2 Brigette (the deck does not need a full bench turn two like Zoroark GX. Thus three Brigette is too excessive)
- 2 Lillie (not sold on this card in most decks and this one does not look like it is able to consistently play down its hand to maximize the drae consistency)
- 1 Parallel City (since it hurts your damage output which is something this deck cannot afford)
+ 2 Cynthia (nice draw supporter in stage 1 decks)
+ 1 N (three are a solid number in most decks that do not draw their prizes within a few turns since it provides draw and disruption to faster decks)
+ 3 Choice Band (Alolan Ninetales GX loves the damage boost even with the added bench damage from Glaceon GX)
+ 1 Ultra Ball (four are a great and stable number in almost all decks to ensure they are available when needed)
+ 2 Brooklet Hill (combined with Ultra Ball this ensures that you have access to Alolan Vulpix fast)

You may even want to consider Cyrus Prism Star to undo the opponent's initial set up. Hope this provides some initial assistance.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

@Ecko9i6 - Thanks.

"You definitely need to make space for another Ultra ball, even if you are playing 4 alolan Vulpix. Being able to search for any pokemon and use it during your turn is just too powerful. Beacon forces you to wait until next turn to make anything happen."​

3 Ultra Balls seem to work just fine in my decks where I can use Energy Evolution. A 4th Ultra Ball would increase my chances of discarding more W energy faster, but I've not yet had that "sense of urgency."

"If you're only going to run 1 brooklet, I recommend you take it out of the deck. It's only good if you can use it to get what you need consistently. Only having one will make your odds of having it when you need it be very low."​

The Brooklet Hill seems to be most effective either T1 or T2 while I may be still setting up my bench. Other than that, its purpose then is to be Ultra Ball fodder or counter-Stadium. Most likely, I will replace it with another Parallel City or Choice Band.

"I would also recommend that you get rid of your 2 tapu koko and replace them with 2 float stones. The 20 damage spread is good, but it doesn't help your numbers very much. Most Pokemon have 210 HP right now so hitting with 1 flying flip will only put something at 190, which is still out of knockout range for you. You don't run any choice band so the most you'll ever be able to hit is 160 with Ninetales GX (unless your opponent has tons of energy on the active and you attack with lele), which will still only put their Pokemon at 180 total damage. Even if you got 2 flying flips, it would still be at 200 and most Stage 1 decks seem to be running Acerola."​

Assuming I do start with a Tapu Koko and a DCE, I've been able, in many games, to execute Flying Flip 2 times. In doing that, the deck strategy works quite well. Should I start with either an Eevee or Alolan Vulpix, Tapu Koko's role easily changes to Ultra Ball fodder.

"Also, I think Lillie will not help you very much in your deck because you don't have a way to get rid of cards from your hand consistently." ​

Note that I'm not trying to "get rid of cards from my hand consistently, as much as discarding cards when I need to. For the times I need to dump cards, the Professor Sycamore and Ultra Ball serve that purpose. Further, Lillie not only allows me to draw some cards, but also preserves the card(s) I already have in my hand - this is a needed option at times.

"Here is a recap of my recommendations:

- 1 Brooklet Hill
- 2 Tapu Koko
-2 Lillie

+ 1 Ultra Ball
+ 2 Float Stones
+ 2 Choice Bands​

Choice band would be good, but I feel like you need 3 and I'm not sure where you would make room for that. Without Choice Band, you can't reliably 2 Shot anything."​

Choice Bands or Espeon EX are definitely needed. Given the relatively "low" Retreat Costs, Float Stones (high Field Blower targets) are not critical. Espeon EX, in this Stage Pokémon-dominant meta works quite well too since the deck's main attackers need not inflict lots of damage for me to get KOs.

"The fact that Glaceon GX allows you to place counters on a benched pokemon helps you set up to take out knockouts with Ninetales GX."​

None of Glaceon GX's attacks places damage counters; they all just inflict damage.

@Dark Espeon - Thanks. Some of my comments above could also be applied to your suggestions too; so, I will not repeat my responses.

 

[Defiance]

Just a thought -- but why not run Po Town? The additional 3 damage counters on an evolution-mon seems like a good call considering the numbers game.

Alolan Ninetails (160) + Po Town (30) + Choice Band (30) is enough for Zoroark-GX.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

Just a thought -- but why not run Po Town? The additional 3 damage counters on an evolution-mon seems like a good call considering the numbers game.

Alolan Ninetails (160) + Po Town (30) + Choice Band (30) is enough for Zoroark-GX.

Thanks. Definitely a consideration, especially when I incorporate Evosoda.