M Sceptile EX / Ariados / Bats (Needs Trainer Line)

RunningWithScizors

RunningWithScizors

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Well, I'm trying to get back into tournament play after some time's absence, and I need to find a deck (or several). Problem is, I'm not very good at building Trainer lines for my decks. Someone on this forum suggested I put my partial decks up on the Deck Garage and ask for advice in this regard and maybe this would help me get better. So, without further ado, the first deck skeleton I want to present in such a manner - a M Sceptile EX/Ariados/Bats deck I saw someone do well with in a local tournament. It was then I knew I had found a (possible) deck for myself. All I have are the Pokemon and Energy - no Trainers as of yet. I'm stuck.

Pokémon: 22:
  • 3 Sceptile EX (Ancient Origins)
  • 3 M Sceptile EX (Ancient Origins)
  • 4 Zubat (Phantom Forces)
  • 4 Golbat (Phantom Forces)
  • 3 Crobat (Phantom Forces)
  • 1 Spinarak (Ancient Origins)
  • 1 Ariados (Ancient Origins)
  • 2 Shaymin EX (Roaring Skies)
  • 1 Hoopa EX (Ancient Origins)
Energy: 10:
  • 7 Basic Grass
  • 3 Herbal Energy
Strategy:

Basically, the strategy is to put enough damage on a Pokemon using the Bats and Poison to KO it with Sceptile EX's/M Sceptile EX's attacks and possibly heal something in the process with the latter's Jagged Saber.

This leaves me with only 28 slots to put all my Ultra Balls, VS Seekers, Stadiums, Spirit Links, etc. in - and that feels like a pretty tight fit. I was wondering: How would you folks go about doing all that?

Thanks in advance for the advice!
 
First of all, a 3rd mega Sceptile EX is really not critical, IMO. (I too run a Sceptile EX deck, but without any Megas - I'm finding that Sceptile EX's Unseen Claw to be more powerful. But, this is a personal choice and I would only suggest reducing your Mega count by 1 given your current deck outline.)

Secondly, you can run a "thinner" Bat line since you can use AZ to recover and recycle them. This will provide some additional slots too in doing so.

Given the above comments, those suggestions imply:

-1 M Sceptile EX
-1 Zubat
-1 Golbat
-1 Crobat​

and would now leave you with a total of 18 Pokémon; however, I'd suggest also that you increase your Ariados line by 1-1 in order to enhance your chances of getting at least 1 Ariados into play. The Pokémon now total 20.

Suggested Trainers:

+2 AZ - helps recover and reuse benched Bats and/or Shaymin EX
+1 Fisherman - (or energy Retrieval) discarded energy recovery
+3 Level Ball - helps get your Ariados, Golbat, Spinarak and Zubat out faster
+2 Lysandre - "gusts" opponent's benched Pokémon into active position
+3 Professor Birch's Observations - card-draw support
+4 Professor Sycamore - card-draw support
+1 Professor's Letter - energy search and draw support
+1 Sacred Ash / Super Rod - discarded resources (Pokémon and/or energy) recovery and recycle
+2 Sceptil Spirit Link - helps fast Mega evolution
+2 Shauna - card-draw support (I like 9 card-draw Supporters with 2 Shaymin EX; find the right combo that suits you)
+1 Switch - to switch Active with benched Pokémon
+1 Trainer's Mail - Trainer search and draw support
+3 Ultra Ball - help search and get needed Pokémon
+3 VS Seeker - recovers discarded supporter for reuse​

I believe there is 1 slot left and I'd suggest using that for a Stadium or another G energy. IMO, there is currently not a "great" Stadium for Grass decks, but you may want 1-2 just to counter your opponent's Stadium.

I hope you find these comments helpful.
 
Take out hoopa. This deck doesn't have the bench space. Especially if you are running bats and ariados.
Also herbal enedgy is not great for this deck either. Healing 30 is kinda pointless when you can fully heal just by attacking.
 
The deck I saw at the tournament had a Hoopa. But yes, on second thought, the Herbal Energy can be taken out - I put it in to provide symmetry with other decks that use e. g. Strong Energy or Mystery Energy.
 
RunningWithScizors said:
So, why only a 3-2 M Sceptile EX line? I'm used to 3-3 and 4-3 lines. And why a 3-3-2 line on the Bats?
Click to expand...
All personal preferences. In my early playtesting, I found that I only used 2 M Sceptile EX most of the time. Later, I dropped all the Megas preferring just to use the Sceptile EX which is easier to setup, the damage output is a bit more with Unseen Claw, and I prefer to use Supporters for healing purposes.

By utilizing the AZ to pickup a benched Bat line, I could reuse them without taking additional bench spots. I also found that 1 less Crobat worked well since there was an awaiting Golbat that I could evolve.
 
Just because the other deck had hoopa doesn't mean it's good.

For you bench you need at least 2 sceptiles, 1 ariados and probably 2 bats. Then you still need the possibility of shaymin.

That is unless your stadium is going to be sky field. If not don't play hoopa with bats.
 
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