I wouldn't use stage 2 decks without candy. I'd probably use donphan because it is a stage one and uses one energy(no roseannes). If not that I would like to try out the HGSS Gyarados discarding an energy every turn. Slowbro is a good cheap deck.
I play Feraligatr/Starmie (not just that, of course) and my friend plays Ho-Oh/Typhlosion Prime (that really hurts itself a lot). Those would be my choices.