Ho-oh EX - Rainbow

[Koga7737]

(Translations of unreleased cards at the end)

11 Pokémon:

4 Ho-oh EX
2 Mewtwo EX
2 Virizion (NV)
1 Shaymin EX
1 Terrakion (NV)

33 Trainer:

4 Professor Juniper
4 N
2 Cheren
1 Cilan

4 Ultra Ball
4 Catcher
4 Eviolite
2 Random Receiver
2 Energy Search
2 Energy Retrieval
2 Super Scoop Up
2 Switch
1 Tool Scrapper

16 Energy:

4{C}{C}
3{G}
3{F}
1{R}
1{W}
1{L}
1{P}
1{D}
1{M}

So, the idea is to use Juniper and Ultra Ball to get Ho-oh EX and some energy into the discard pile and use his ability to put him on the bench with energy on him already. Mewtwo is easy to attack, since it only needs a Double Colorless. Virizion is for the start, Draw 2 is rather nice early on, plus just add one more energy and it can deal some damage should Ho-oh not be able to get on the bench fast enough. Terrakion is to counter any Sigilyph, and Shaymin is a Terrakion counter and a late game sweeper.


"Ho-Oh-EX – Fire – HP160
Basic Pokemon

Ability: Phoenix
This ability can be used 1 time during your turn if this card is in your discard pile. Flip 1 coin. If heads, attach 3 different Basic Energy cards to this card and play it onto your Bench.

[C][C][C] Rainbow Burn: 20+ damage. Does 20 more damage for each different type of Basic Energy attached to this Pokemon.

When Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Water (x2)
Resistance: Fighting (-20)
Retreat: 2"

 

[MountainDrew]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

I dont get what the point of Manetric is the attack said to all of your opponents pokemon not ur pokemon

 

[Koga7737]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

That's the idea: use the opponent's power against them. Admittedly, the most I've ever done in play test, before weakness, is 80. But I don't have a wide range of testing so it's yet to be seen of its usefulness.

 

[Koga7737]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

After more testing, I need to get rid of the Milotic and Cilan. They are pretty much useless. Any suggestions on what to switch them with?

 

[owtwem222]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

I like it, but instead of manetric try zekrom or a more powerful pokemon, otherwise great deck

---

The {DRG} are coming **tune of bed intruder plays**

 

[bagleopard]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

The first thing that comes to mind when looking at Ho-oh EX is how troubled it is by Mewtwo EX. X Ball hits for 100 minimum against a charged up Ho-oh, while Ho-oh finds it hard to knock out Mewtwo in two hits unless it hits twice while holding at least four different colors of energy. If Mewtwo holds an Eviolite it's even tougher, and if you're down on the prize exchange you'll be hard pressed to get a win against a Mewtwo player.

In order to combat Mewtwo EX, you have two good options

1. Deck some Mewtwo EX of your own. This will probably be easy to do since X Ball only needs {C}{C}, meshing well with your deck's strange energy requirements. You can even play Double Colorless Energy so that it doesn't take up too much of the Basic Energy that Ho-oh will want to use.
   
2. Deck one or two Sigilyph (DRE 52/124). It can one-shot a minimally charged Mewtwo and it takes no damage in return from it or any other EX. The only problem is that it takes {P}{C}{C} to attack, so it'll take a few turns to charge up and it'll require you to deck a few extra {P} to make sure you have enough available for it.

I think Mewtwo EX is probably the better option since it's more flexible and stronger against a wider variety of Pokemon.

After that, you'll need a non-EX attacker in order to deal with any opposing Sigilyph (DRE 52/124). Perhaps you might want to try Bouffalant (DRE 110/124). It's very sturdy thanks to its ability, and hits hard against EX Pokemon. It has good synergy with Double Colorless Energy like Mewtwo, and it plays well with Eviolite like Ho-oh and Mewtwo. Also, Ho-oh covers its {F} weakness well.

So, I think you ought to have a deck skeleton that looks something like this:

Pokemon
4 Ho-oh EX
3 Mewtwo EX
3 Bouffalant

I/S/S
4 Professor Juniper
4 N
4 Ultra Ball
4 Eviolite
4 Pokemon Catcher

Energy
4 {C}{C}
1 {G}
1 {W}
1 {L}
1 {F}
1 {R}
1 {P}
1 {M}
1 {D}


You fill in the rest with what you think will work best, you have more experience playing with this deck than I do. Hope this helps.

 

[Koga7737]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

The first thing that comes to mind when looking at Ho-oh EX is how troubled it is by Mewtwo EX. X Ball hits for 100 minimum against a charged up Ho-oh, while Ho-oh finds it hard to knock out Mewtwo in two hits unless it hits twice while holding at least four different colors of energy. If Mewtwo holds an Eviolite it's even tougher, and if you're down on the prize exchange you'll be hard pressed to get a win against a Mewtwo player.

In order to combat Mewtwo EX, you have two good options

1. Deck some Mewtwo EX of your own. This will probably be easy to do since X Ball only needs {C}{C}, meshing well with your deck's strange energy requirements. You can even play Double Colorless Energy so that it doesn't take up too much of the Basic Energy that Ho-oh will want to use.
   
2. Deck one or two Sigilyph (DRE 52/124). It can one-shot a minimally charged Mewtwo and it takes no damage in return from it or any other EX. The only problem is that it takes {P}{C}{C} to attack, so it'll take a few turns to charge up and it'll require you to deck a few extra {P} to make sure you have enough available for it.

I think Mewtwo EX is probably the better option since it's more flexible and stronger against a wider variety of Pokemon.

After that, you'll need a non-EX attacker in order to deal with any opposing Sigilyph (DRE 52/124). Perhaps you might want to try Bouffalant (DRE 110/124). It's very sturdy thanks to its ability, and hits hard against EX Pokemon. It has good synergy with Double Colorless Energy like Mewtwo, and it plays well with Eviolite like Ho-oh and Mewtwo. Also, Ho-oh covers its {F} weakness well.

...

You fill in the rest with what you think will work best, you have more experience playing with this deck than I do. Hope this helps.

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I think I will take out the Mew and Manectrics for these changes. Do you think I should also add Shaymin EX? If I do, I will probably add a few more grass energies. Or should I just stick with what I got and add more techs?

 

[bagleopard]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

You could possibly tech a Shaymin EX to deal with Terrakion and other {G} weak Pokemon but it's probably not necessary. Speaking of {G} Pokemon though, I was thinking that you could possibly play 3 Virizion NV as your ideal starting active Pokemon since it can give you some extra draw power for {C} and has the option to attack for some decent damage if you get a {G} onto it.

 

[Koga7737]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

You could possibly tech a Shaymin EX to deal with Terrakion and other {G} weak Pokemon but it's probably not necessary. Speaking of {G} Pokemon though, I was thinking that you could possibly play 3 Virizion NV as your ideal starting active Pokemon since it can give you some extra draw power for {C} and has the option to attack for some decent damage if you get a {G} onto it.

Finally, I have a good use for Virizion

I did run into a problem with the Bouffalant idea, however. I was testing it against a Darkrai/Hydreigon deck and I pulled up Bouffalant against a Sigilyph and hit it for 60. The Darkrai deck was able to swap all energies off of it, Max Potion it, return the energies, and hit my Bouffalant for 60 (since the Darkrai deck had Tool Scrapper, the Eviolite that was on Bouffalant was discarded) I had no other Bouffalant on my bench, didn't any cards to search the deck, though if I did, there probably wren't any left in the deck that late in the game. I was able to hit it back for another 60, but it KO'd him and all that was left was my EX's. So I lost.

Virizion would have helped in that case, but do you think there is anything else that could help?

 

[bagleopard]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

That is an unfortunate set of circumstances. If you had Eviolite or if the Darkrai player didn't have Max Potion you'd be on the winning end of that exchange. But that raises a good point, you need a reliable way of dealing with Sigilyph. It'll need to knock it out in one hit for it to be effective, preferably for minimal energy investment. And it'll need to be either a non-EX Basic or a cheap Stage 1.

You could deck a Sigilyph of your own along with a few extra {P} to accommodate it, but you're still at a disadvantage against a Darkrai/Hydreigon player. They are able to slap Sigilyph onto their bench, retreat their active for free, and charge up Sigilyph to attack all in the same turn. You, on the other hand, aren't as lucky. You'll need at least two turns to power up Sigilyph to attack and in that time the Darkrai/Hydreigon player will have the chance to Catcher it up and knock it out with their own Sigilyph before it becomes a threat. Your Sigilyph won't be a surprise to them at all whereas theirs can come down at any time.

Another option might be Bouffalant (BW 91/114). For {C}{C} you'll be able to do 90 in one shot after a KO, acting as a Terrakion for your deck. Unfortunately Bouffalant can't follow up as well as Terrakion unless you have another 2 energy to provide it with, and the fact that it can only perform after a KO means you'll probably be down in the prize race even after getting rid of the Sigilyph. You could actually try Terrakion itself which may end up being more reliable, though it would require you to deck more {F} energy and it isn't helped by Double Colorless like Bouffalant is.

There's Darmanitan (NEX 60/99) whose second attack for {C}{C} will one-shot Sigilyph 75% of the time, though if you miss Sigilyph will one-shot Darmanitan. Drifblim (DRE 51/124) can one-shot Sigilyph for {C} but that will require your opponent to have at least one Special Energy in their discard pile, and unfortunately it is weak to {D} so Darkrai will be able to one-shot it back.

That's all that I can think of at the moment, there might be another one or two things worth a try but you'd have to look around in the BW-on cardpool yourself and see what you can find. Sigilyph seems quite tough to counter in this deck.

 

[Koga7737]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

Two ideas I have are Garbodor, which is would require it have a tool on it at all times, which is rather difficult if it also has to stay alive. The other one is a bit unorthodox. Since its first attack require the same energy as Bouffalant, I tested Registeel EX. This also required adding a few Switches, which wasn't all that bad, but it was difficult to deciding what to take out. Registeel did win me the game though. That was only one game though. I'm too tired to test anymore or update the list, so I'll do that later.

 

[bagleopard]

RE: Ho-oh EX/Manectric - Rainbow

Garbodor would lock out Ho-oh's revival ability though, which is why I didn't suggest it. And you're right, it's only a counter to Sigilyph as long as it's alive and holding a tool. It's also very easily Catcher KOd. I think Registeel EX is best suited for an entirely different deck (with Shift Gear Klinklang), and it doesn't help solve the Sigilyph problem this deck already faces.