Discussion How Good are Palkia EX and Ampharos EX in the XY8 Metagame?

[Green778]

Everybody finally witnessed the amazing Golduck Break Card. Finally, after some disappointments with the Break cards and some rogue picks (Chestnaught), we saw a good card that had infinite potential, especially with the Max Potion reprint. But how good is Golduck in the current metagame? Personally, I think it's a great start in order to shape the format with new cards, since the "stars" from the previous generation of Pokemon TCG have retired.

Palkia is the combination of Darkrai EX + Virizion. Which means it is a good card. Any card that can take 4 prizes in one turn can be considered "good". With 2 [w] energy cost attack it can search for 2 [w] energies and attach them to one of your benched Pokemon. So, what comes into someones mind is the P Kyogre. With good setup you can Tidal Storm in turn 2! Plus, Golduck with its energy manipulation can "fix" PKyogre's one weak spot, the energy movement.
Also, 120 + 30 is good. Undeniably it IS. Like Night Spear it's the perfect 2hitKO move, especially with the new mega Pokemon, plus it can set-up the Tidal Storm KO. The heavy 4 [w] could be considered a problem but there are ways to "fix" it. 1) α Growth and use Golduck. 2) Mega Turbo on Kyogre and attach an energy and use Golduck.
The only draw-back is the lack of Keldeo EX to provide free retreat. Which won't be a problem for the Expanded Format.


So, now our favourite "long hair don't care" Pokemon, Ampharos. This card got the best partner possible. Magnezone a Pokemon that is consistently being printed with potential. (IF we forget the last 2)

Can Ampharos EX find it's way back to the competitive scene? Answer is... maybe... Magnezone/Ampharos is not enough. It still needs a superior energy retrieval to clinch the archetype, (plus a propagation ability). With this way, it will be possible to power up Ampharos in one turn. However, it has a decent partner, Raikou which follows the pattern of 50 damage 3[C] energy attack, plus +20 for each [L].
Personally, I think that M Ampharos' is very very good, but need a lot of resources to pull its tricks off. Let's not forget that with Rough Seas, the recoil damage is gone, and with Magnezone you can easily power it up in one turn and consistently attack for 170 each turn. Time will only tell...


To sum up we've all understood that Magnezone/Golduck is the Best Energy Acceleration Combo ever created. Can it be consistent enough to become a Tier 1 deck? What do you think? Can also Palkia and Ampharos prove their worthiness?

 

[bbninjas]

Excuse my ignorance, but how exactly can Magnezone be brought out on the first turn, when it takes it least two turns to evolve into (if using Wally)?

 

[Green778]

Excuse my ignorance, but how exactly can Magnezone be brought out on the first turn, when it takes it least two turns to evolve into (if using Wally)?

Oops... I meant "in one turn". Thanks for mentioning

 

[pokedan24]

Based on past metas with similar cards (Virizion), I think Palkia's gonna be good.

Not sure about zone (being a stage 2 and all), but with enough Shaymin ex, speeding through the deck should be easy. Also, energy retrieval should be enough. 2L + DCE will power up ampharos in one turn (and also Lugia).

 

[poke4trade]

Based on past metas with similar cards (Virizion), I think Palkia's gonna be good.

Not sure about zone (being a stage 2 and all), but with enough Shaymin ex, speeding through the deck should be easy. Also, energy retrieval should be enough. 2L + DCE will power up ampharos in one turn (and also Lugia).

I honestly believe it will be a reasonable card. The reason why is that it is weak to grass. On turn 2, it is a knockout for a vespquen deck. You go two prizes down. Also if you didn't attach energy to it on turn one, than the game is over. Weakness policy could be the option to allow it survive a bit. Also, experience share might be a good play to move energy down to kyogre. Maybe?

The kyogre option is tempting, but honestly that leaves you weak to grass, which would be hard to deal with it as vespquen is knocking you for 110 points *2 of damage on turn three. You know, because Vespquen is so popular, your almost better off running it with Kyruem and Regice. They are weak to metal and would be great counters for night/march/vespqen and Giratini decks. Maybe a little of both? 2Kyogre 2 Mega Kyogres, 2 Regice, 1 Kyruem 3Palkas, 3 shaymins, and 4 unowns.

You could throw in a Regigas just to be cheeky.

Maybe something like that. Shrugs...it gives some options.

 

[Ms Hugo]

Hmm, well my M-Ampharos deck can get set up in 2-3 turns using Mega Turbo, but I guess relying on the Turbos with 3 types of Item Lock to look out for may not be such a great idea.

In theory M-Ampharos is great, KOing most things and paralysing what it doesn't KO. This leaves them with few options to escape - Switch, Escape Rope, AZ and Super Scoop Up being the only ones. I'm not sure about Magnezone alongside a Mega that isn't Rayquaza in the current stage 2-unfriendly meta, as it makes the deck somewhat more clunky.

I'm not sure how good the deck is against the likes of Regice or Vespiquen either...

 

[Empoleon_master]

I easily see Palkia EX being played as a 2-3 of in water decks, it's basically water Virizion EX for 40 damage. This card has a lot of potential and I hope that it finds an amazing deck to be in in the future.

My current guess is for it to be used with something that's currently unheard of, I guess Huntail PLC or something, I just know that this card will find its niche and be used to great affect.