Standard Kissing Bug (Genesect-EX/Togekiss)

[Vitiel]

I saw Arizaiaz's thread with this deck concept and gave it a whirl on Pokemon TCGO. Found it to be tons of fun, and I'm tweaking it to my own feelings along the way! Unfortunately I'm in the boat where Shaymin-EX would probably be a pain to get irl or in TCGO.

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

Pokémon - 13

3 Genesect-EX FAC
3-3-3 Togekiss ROS 46
1 Cobalion STS 74

Trainers - 35

2 Lysandre
2 N
4 Professor Sycamore

1 Evosoda
4 Max Elixir
1 Devolution Spray
2 Energy Recycler
3 VS Seeker
2 Level Ball
3 Trainers' Mail
3 Ultra Ball
2 Acro Bike

2 Fighting Fury Belt
2 Float Stone

2 Parallel City

Energy - 12

12 Metal

The strategy's pretty straightforward: pump up Genesect to quickly swing for 100, or even more if I choose to discard its energy! Cards like Max Elixir and Togekiss provide the fuel. Togekiss is quite a strong energy acceleration engine--it may be a stage 2, but Togetic will be able to evolve thanks to its evolution's ΔEvolution, and I can even go at it more than once if I give it the Devolution Spray! Cobalion is the deck's answer to EX-resistant foes, and swings for massive damage in the lategame. Drive Change also brings some astonishing extra tricks with the already-useful Fighting Fury Belt and Float Stone! Genesect's resistance to Psychic is also a small bonus against Mewtwo-EX and Despair Ray M Gardevoir-EX, plus Metal hitting the weaknesses of Xerneas and Gardevoir variants.

I'm running Evosoda instead of Wally because I don't feel the latter cuts it without Shaymin-EX. It may not let me evolve Togepi the moment I throw it down, but Wally's Supporter status hurts with little other huge draw power. It may be a better idea to bump that off and switch it for a third Level Ball, which can search for Togepi or Togetic. I'm kind of thinking about cutting Lysandre down to 1 copy; it's an incredible card, but I feel like 2 is either good or dead.

 

[Arizaiaz]

Hey! Glad that you enjoyed my post on the Genesect EX/Togekiss partnership. Its definitely a fun deck to play that can seemingly pull out OHKOs out of nowhere. Shaymin obviously was a pretty big part of the speed of the deck, allowing you to reach for cards that you would need and also helped out to de-clunk the heavy stage-2 evolution line. But I'm sure it'll still be a fun deck to play albeit less consistent.

Here are some suggestions for your version!

-1 Evosoda
-1 Metal Energy
-2 Acro Bike

+1 N
+1 VS Seeker
+1 Trainers Mail
+1 Ultra Ball

Without Shaymins you are going to need to focus on maximizing consistency and draw support. If you dead draw you will be top decking for a Sycamore or N and the extra VS Seeker/Trainers Mail gets you to those cards faster. Ultra Balls are also pretty important in case you don't start with a Genesect EX or have one on your bench ready to receive Max Elixirs(since they are dead cards without a Genesect/Cobalion on the bench). A 4-count gives you better access to them.

Don't cut the Lysandre. Since on average you will be evolving into Togekiss a turn or two later you are giving your opponent those extra turns to find and play Garbodor. I realize that he is not in every deck but you will need the Lysandres to OHKO him with your Genesects if you want to make any use of Togekiss in those match ups. Not to mention the ease with which Genesect can OHKO opposing Shaymins.

Anyways, hope these thoughts helped and good luck!