M Rayquaza-EX / Bronzong

Camoclone

Camoclone

TCG Articles Head
Member
This thread is used for all competitive discussion on M Rayquaza-EX / Bronzong variants in the Standard format. This includes strategies, playstyles, and techs.

You may post deck lists here, but only as a means to add to the discussion. If you're looking for advice on your list, post in the Deck Garage.

Articles:

Metal Rayquaza Deck Analysis and Interview with Geoffry Sauk!
Emerald Breaking the Format!
Roaring Skies Cram Session
Back to the Lab Again - Unorthodox Plays for U.S. Nationals
Exploiting the Decks of Worlds

M Rayquaza-EX / Bronzong Skeleton List:

Pokémon: 18
  • 2 M Rayquaza-EX (ROS 105)
  • 3 Rayquaza-EX (ROS 75)
  • 3 Bronzong (PHF 61)
  • 3 Bronzor (PHF 60)
  • 3 Shaymin-EX (ROS 77)
  • 2 Aegislash-EX (PHF 65)
  • 1 Hoopa-EX (AOR 36)
  • 1 Heatran (PHF 63)
Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums: 26
  • 4 Professor Sycamore
  • 2 Professor Birch's Observation
  • 2 Lysandre
  • 1 AZ
  • 4 VS Seeker
  • 4 Ultra Ball
  • 2 Float Stone
  • 2 Rayquaza Spirit Link
  • 1 Battle Compressor
  • 4 Sky Field
Energy: 10
  • 6 Metal
  • 4 Double Colorless Energy
Open Spots: 6
 
I've been testing this deck in Standard, and I gotta say I love it!

I've been wondering though, is a single Dialga EX PHF worth it? Chrono Wind is pretty useful if you get stuck against something but I took mine out to make room for a 2nd Heatran PHF, which I feel is way more useful and less situational.

Another thing I've been kinda unsure about is what drawpower to run. I've been using:

3 Shaymin EX
1 Professor Birch's Observations
4 Professor Sycamore

Of course I run numerous other cards that search and thin the deck, but I really feel like there could be more. Any thoughts?
 
I've been testing this deck a lot for reigonals and I am having a ton of trouble with the Primal groudon matchup any help?
 
I feel like Swablu-Altaria is worth the space for a couple of reasons, primarily to take away the obvious weakness to Raichu XY and Manectric EX/M Manectric EX and to help out with a possible Ampharos EX/M Ampharos EX matchup. A secondary reason is for use as a non-EX attacker in case of an emergency.
 
Last edited:
Br0vyle said:
I've been testing this deck a lot for reigonals and I am having a ton of trouble with the Primal groudon matchup any help?
Click to expand...

I wonder if Dialga is worth including for this sort of thing? Even if one of your Pokemon gets knocked out, you can bring up Dialga to Chrono Wind and block P-Groudon from attacking, so they're a bit stuck without a Switch or Escape Rope.

I try to Lysandre up the Groudon quickly and hit it with something before it evolves. 6 Skyfield isn't too tricky to get if you focus on getting M-Ray out quickly.
 
Brave Vesperia said:
I've been testing this deck in Standard, and I gotta say I love it!

I've been wondering though, is a single Dialga EX PHF worth it? Chrono Wind is pretty useful if you get stuck against something but I took mine out to make room for a 2nd Heatran PHF, which I feel is way more useful and less situational.

Another thing I've been kinda unsure about is what drawpower to run. I've been using:

3 Shaymin EX
1 Professor Birch's Observations
4 Professor Sycamore

Of course I run numerous other cards that search and thin the deck, but I really feel like there could be more. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think it's worth it, and 2 heatran is not worth it. The only safeguard pokemon nowadays is Regice, and it does 90 damage at most. You OHKO it with weakness also, which is a plus.
As for draw, I'd run 2 more birch. It's very useful, and with ultra balls and other draw cards (trainer's mail/acro bike/etc.) you should draw into something even if you flip tails.
 
Br0vyle said:
I've been testing this deck a lot for reigonals and I am having a ton of trouble with the Primal groudon matchup any help?
Click to expand...
I would be shocked to see primal groudon at regionals with all of the Vespiqueen hype. And because the deck is doing half decent, and shiftry being banned, I think this deck will be close to non-existent.
But if you feel that the deck loses to primal groudon, you can beef up your aegislash/Dialga line. Aegislash means your opponent has to attach four basic energy to primal groudon, and dialga ex means he must switch out to attack again the next turn (both can 2HKO with the right set up).
 
Could someone perhaps explain why one uses 1 Dragon-type Ray and 2 Colorless Ray (and only 2 Mega)? And why 2 Aegislash - doesn't that slow things down a lot? Also, with Keldeo out of the game, I often find it hard to recover from a Lysandre or the like. This deck feels way too immobile, despite its power - too many high-retreat Pokemon that sit around and do almost nothing.
 
RunningWithScizors said:
Could someone perhaps explain why one uses 1 Dragon-type Ray and 2 Colorless Ray (and only 2 Mega)? And why 2 Aegislash - doesn't that slow things down a lot? Also, with Keldeo out of the game, I often find it hard to recover from a Lysandre or the like. This deck feels way too immobile, despite its power - too many high-retreat Pokemon that sit around and do almost nothing.
Click to expand...
The Dragon Ray is situational. It has 10 more HP than the Colorless one and doesn't have Weakness to Lightning types. You can attack with Colorless Ray so that's why you play two of them.
 
RunningWithScizors said:
Could someone perhaps explain why one uses 1 Dragon-type Ray and 2 Colorless Ray (and only 2 Mega)? And why 2 Aegislash - doesn't that slow things down a lot? Also, with Keldeo out of the game, I often find it hard to recover from a Lysandre or the like. This deck feels way too immobile, despite its power - too many high-retreat Pokemon that sit around and do almost nothing.
Click to expand...

I believe that Aegislash-EX is there for its ability and as a backup attacker. At least that's how I use it when I play this deck.
 
I'm also wondering why 3 Bronzong and not 2 - don't they just clutter up things and provide good targets despite being your energy accelerators? I've often found this deck very clumsy and low in the maneuverability department when I've practiced with it. What might be wrong?
 
RunningWithScizors said:
I'm also wondering why 3 Bronzong and not 2 - don't they just clutter up things and provide good targets despite being your energy accelerators? I've often found this deck very clumsy and low in the maneuverability department when I've practiced with it. What might be wrong?
Click to expand...

Because if you only have 2 Bronzong, you may not be able to find Bronzong when you need it, and you may struggle to get two on your bench. I find being able to metal links twice isn't essential early on, but it becomes increasingly important as the game goes on.

The deck shouldn't be too hard to maneuver- Ray has a single energy retreat cost. But popping a float stone in will help a lot. Put it on a a bronzong, advance the Bronong with the float stone if you took a KO, so you can power up anything with metal links.
 
I run almost this deck exactly except I have an extra mega Rayquaza colorless and Rayquaza spirit link. I also run a 2-2 zoroark from breakthrough to help with status conditions and to act as a keldeo ex.
 
I consider myself an expert with the deck, and I don't need the Zoroark, because for me, Keldeo was horrible in the deck, and I'd rather just play 2 Heatrans. I would post my list, but only if people wanted it as a reference. It is a little weird, but it works every time.
 
For me I need zoroark my Hoopa is constantly getting lysandred. I also took out a vs seeker for a jirachi promo 67 for seismitoad and other special energy users but not sure how effective it will be because I put it in at the end of a league challenge.
 
Gible06 said:
For me I need zoroark my Hoopa is constantly getting lysandred. I also took out a vs seeker for a jirachi promo 67 for seismitoad and other special energy users but not sure how effective it will be because I put it in at the end of a league challenge.
Click to expand...
Not really that good. It's true that Hoopa getting Lysandre'd is a problem, but that's why you should always get rid of it when Sky Field leaves play. My deck also plays 2 AZ, because Shaymin start exists, and I don't have Max Potions. Like I said before, I can post my list if people are interested. And as of Jirachi, I personally don't like it, but it could be good, but if you're having problems with Toad, then just add a second Aegislash-EX

Elbow said:
I think it's worth it, and 2 heatran is not worth it. The only safeguard pokemon nowadays is Regice, and it does 90 damage at most. You OHKO it with weakness also, which is a plus.
As for draw, I'd run 2 more birch. It's very useful, and with ultra balls and other draw cards (trainer's mail/acro bike/etc.) you should draw into something even if you flip tails.
Click to expand...
No, Heatran is worth it to run 2. Dialga is practically useless, being that Zoroark, Switch, Float Stone etc. exists. It is rather useful for Mega Manectric matchups, and Toad matchups, but so is Altaria and Aegislash. And my reason behind 2 Heatran is that it is your only 1 prize attacker, which evens the playing field against Night March, which can now easily get past Aegislash's ability. The only draw supporters I run are 3 Sycamore, 1 Shauna, and a Birch. 4 VS Seekers, a Battle Compressor, and 3 Shaymins are good enough.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
gumball51321 said:
No, Heatran is worth it to run 2. Dialga is practically useless, being that Zoroark, Switch, Float Stone etc. exists. It is rather useful for Mega Manectric matchups, and Toad matchups, but so is Altaria and Aegislash. And my reason behind 2 Heatran is that it is your only 1 prize attacker, which evens the playing field against Night March, which can now easily get past Aegislash's ability. The only draw supporters I run are 3 Sycamore, 1 Shauna, and a Birch. 4 VS Seekers, a Battle Compressor, and 3 Shaymins are good enough.
Click to expand...
Please take note that my message was from September...Zoroark wasn't even a card back then.
 
I attended a cities a few weeks ago, and a little to my surprise was the only Rayquaza player there. However, my main concern was the Yveltal/Zoroark/Gallade match-up, especially when it's paired with parallel city. Any recommendations for dealing with this new threat?
 
ProZlockie said:
I attended a cities a few weeks ago, and a little to my surprise was the only Rayquaza player there. However, my main concern was the Yveltal/Zoroark/Gallade match-up, especially when it's paired with parallel city. Any recommendations for dealing with this new threat?
Click to expand...
This shouldn't cause you too many issues. Running 4 copies of Sky field almost guarantees you winning the stadium battle since they rarely play more than 2 copies of parallel city. Just be sure not to overextend on putting pokemon on your bench. Having 1-2 basics in your hand to refill your bench in this matchup is usually a good plan. If they city you, discard the shaymin and hoopas, and then try and counter with your own sky field. Since this format is a bit tough on the draw support, a high trainers' mail count helps to win the stadium war too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top