Standard Lightning Rod (Raichu & Alolan Raichu GX / Zapdos / Zeraora GX / Jirachi / Tapu Koko Prism)

[Dark Espeon]

LIGHTNING ROD

Pokémon (11):

• 2 Raichu & Alolan Raichu GX (beatdown)
• 1 Tapu Koko Prism (accelerate)
• 3 Zapdos SM8a (beatdown)
  
• 1 Zeraora GX (beatdown)
• 3 Jirachi SM8a (search)
• 1 Dedenne GX (draw)

Trainer (38):

• 3 Volkner (search)
  
• 4 Guzma (control)
• 3 Cynthia (draw)
• 4 Lillie (draw)
• 1 Rescue Stretcher (retrieval)
  
• 4 Electric Power (beatdown)
• 2 Choice Band (beatdown)
• 2 Escape Board (retreat)
• 3 Escape Rope (control)
• 2 Tag Switch (control)
  
• 3 Ultra Ball (search)
  
• 3 Nest Ball (search)
• 3 Aether Paradise Area (enable)
• 1 Thunder Mountain (enable)

Energy (11):

• 11 Lightning Energy

STRATEGY:

Start with Jirachi to search for trainer cards. Bench Raichu and Alolan Raichu GX in addition to Zapdos and Zeraora GX. Attach Escape Board to Jirachi and retreat into Zapdos to attack with Thunderous Assault. Switch between Raichu and Alolan Raichu GX and Zapdos to knock out the defender in one to two hits.

SPOILER:

Raichu & Alolan Raichu GX
Basic Lightning Pokémon - Tag Team
HP: 260
[L][L][C] Tandem Shock 80+
If this Pokémon was on the bench and became your active Pokémon this turn, this attack does 80 more damage, and your opponent’s active Pokémon is now paralyzed.
[L][L][C]+ Lightning Ride GX: 150+
Switch this Pokémon with 1 of your benched Pokémon. If this Pokémon has at least 2 extra Lightning Energy attached to it, this attack does 100 more damage.
Retreat Cost: CC
Weakness: F
Resistence: M

 

[iGeek256]

What exactly do you think you need help with?

 

[Pokenerd]

This looks like Zapdos Jirachi with ChuChus (not a bad thing). I think this is very safe but I would cut a Choice Band for a 4th Electro power. 3 choice band is a bit much in a meta with little to no field blower (I don't see any good reason to play field blower when this set comes out) other than that I think this looks really good. (Zapdos would play a lot of choice band because it expected to go through multiple Zapdos, and subsequently choice bands)

 

[Dark Espeon]

Hi iGeek256,

Not sure since I did not have time to test the deck and several cards are not even released. The main issue concerns little things. Would have liked a fourth Nest Ball or a second Electromagnetic Radar to have more search options to enable me to draw into them with Jirachi but deck space is limited. The other issue concerns whether the deck is better than a pure Zapdos deck.

Hi Pokenerd,

Thanks for the review. Will trade the third Choice Band for a fourth Electric Power.

 

[iGeek256]

Well, if you want it to be better than a normal Zapdos deck you might want to add Lisia for speed (searches out your energy acceleration) though it is extreme also, add some switches so your goal each turn would be to get a switch for your next turn (extremely easy with Volkner + Jirachi) Lastly, Zapdos aren’t that helpful since you are going to want to get paralysis with your ChuChu and slowly run your opponent out of switch-like cards.

-2 Zapdos (doesn’t run your opponent out of switch cards)
-2 Lightning energy (had to make room)
-1 Zeraora-GX (they will be Guzma-ing out of paralysis)
+3 Switch
+1 Volkner
+1 Nest Ball

Of course there are fairly common decks that you cannot win against and these are:
Celesaur, they will heal more damage than you can do and the paralysis cannot stop them running you out of cards.
Buzzmosa with a choice band can OHKO you and they have tons of switch cards as the 230 becomes 60 next turn.

 

[lukas2aces]

I feel like such a deck will need Pikachu & Zekrom Tag Team GX to accelerate. As a PikaRom player, I often attach my first energies to Zapdos. Without any energy switch, I feel like you are too slow with just 1 Tapu Koko Prism as energy acceleration.

You might play 1 Lisia, with Lisia you can get the combo rolling in 1 turn (1 manual attachment, 1 from Tapu Koko Prism and Thunder Mountain). Or some energy switch. Or PikaRom. Testing will tell, but that’s my thought process, combining Zapdos with a 3 energy attacker could work, but only under the right circumstances.

 

[Dark Espeon]

Hi iGeek256,

Found a means to incorporate and additional Pokémon search items to have a stable count of six search items in addition to Volkner and Jirachi. Not that sure that more switch cards since Zeraora GX provides free retreat. Pheromosa and Buzzwole GX is anexcellent deck but the base damage of Elegant Sole is 190 damage. Therefore the deck will need Choice Band in addition to two Lurantis to knock out Raichu and Alolan Raichu GX in one hit. Since this deck now also uses three Aether Paradise Conservation Area the Pheromosa and Buzzwole GX deck will also need a counter stadium at the same time.

Hi lukas2aces,

Thanks for the review. I am not a fan of Lisia since I rather use Lillie turn one and I feel that the deck has a sufficient amount of search cards with Jirachi and the chosen item cards. While additional energy acceleration would be nice I am not sold to incorporate Zekrom and Pikachu GX into this deck. Zekrum and Pikachu GX need Energy Switch and deck space is limited here. The main idea of this deck is to use Raichu and Alolan Raichu GX as a supplement to Zapdos to knock out Basic Pokémon GX in one hit with Choice Band and to knock out Pokémon Tag Teams in two hits with Zapdos and Raichu and Alolan Raichu GX while leaving the opponent paralyzed between turns. I also like Lightning Ride as a means to knock out Tag Teams in one hit and the attack is not that hard to fuel with Tapu Koko and Tag Switch. The main reason behind my reservation to include Zekrom and Pikachu GX is that this card seems to work better in its own deck than as an acceleration card for Raichu and Alolan Raichu GX.