Standard M Sceptile EX / Malamar EX

[Yumikora]

Pokémon: 15

• 4-3 M Sceptile-EX
• 2 Malamar-EX
• 1 Shaymin-EX
• 2-2 Ariados
• 1 Virizion

Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums: 36

• 4 Professor Sycamore
• 2 Professor Birch's Observations
• 1 Judge
• 1 Fisherman
• 1 Lysandre
• 1 AZ

• 4 Ultra Ball
  
• 3 Trainers Mail
• 3 VS Seeker
• 3 Sceptile Spirit Link
• 2 Assault Vest
• 2 Mega Turbo
• 2 Prof Letter
• 2 Battlecompressor
• 1 Superrod
• 1 Energy Retrieval
• 1 Energy Switch

• 3 Giant Plant Forest

Energy: 9

• 7 Grass Energy
• 2 Darkness Energy

Strategy:

The main strategy of this deck is to use M-Sceptile EX as your attacker and put some Energy down to another Sceptile-EX on your bench and to Malamar-EX. Since the ability from malamar always activates when it gets energy from hand put down to it, M-Sceptiles attack not only do 100 Dmg, heals 2 pokemon, attaches 2 energy, NO, it also will put your opponent to sleep. It will help the secound attack from normal Sceptile-ex, too. Jirachi Promo helps us against Night March and stuff like that, Virizion will help to get our Ariados back or even could knock out a Regice. And Ariados of course gives us the 10 additional dmg between turns, doesn't hurt us, since we play grass Pokémon and will also power Up Sceptile-EX secound attack.

I would like to hear your improvments to this deck! Also, do you think this could compete with the meta?

Edit: Oh I just forgot my Smeargle... his role in this deck is to make it easier to use Malamars attack when he is needed for an lucky one shot knock out.

Edit 12.01: Updated Decklist with the suggestions from @TuxedoBlack

 

[TuxedoBlack]

First of all, you have 14 Pokémon listed, not 14. Good news, no doubt when you have an extra card slot to fill.

I too have been running a Sceptile deck for a while now and have considered incorporating Malamar EX - but have not yet done so. So, thanks for your post; it's another good reminder to build and test the deck.

IMO:

• Your current build is solid and I believe a T1 Jagged Saber (assuming you start 2nd) is quite realistic given your build.
• A 2-2 Ariados line is more advantageous than the Jirachi and the Virizon.
• 1-2 Energy Switch would be helpful in order to move energy from Malamar EX after an attachment to that Pokémon. Energy Switch can also be used to move Basic energy to this Pokémon when you wish to attack with it too.
• A 4th VS Seeker should be added in order to maximize the access and utilization of discarded Supporters.
• The lone Head Ringer does not seem critical to the overall deck strategy.

Following are some suggested deck improvements for your consideration:

-1 Jirachi
-1 Virizon
-1 Head Ringer

+1 Spinarak
+1 Ariados
+1 Energy Switch or Trainer's Mail or AZ (to recover wounded Pokémon or to recover and reuse Shaymin EX)
+1 VS Seeker​

Yes, I do think this deck is quite competitive in the current meta. I've played against a deck similar to this and learned quickly that a T1 Jagged Saber wreaks havoc, especially when one can not 1HKO the M Sceptile EX. I'd definietly encourage you to test your deck against the top decks right now.

Note: IMO, the main Fire decks to be concerned about are Entei which should be "few." You can mitigate the excessive damage output of this Pokémon with Weakness Policy (replaces the Muscle Bands perhaps). should Entei decks not be a concern in your area's meta, then consider Assault Vest (replaces the Muscle Bands perhaps). You may need to incorporate a Tool Retriever too to help with your Tool replacements.

 

[Yumikora]

Thank you for your suggestions!

I think you are right about the Ariados line and I really like your suggestion with energy switch.
I would rather not include a 4. VS Seeker, since it could really disrupt my starting hand without any battlecompressor and I only run 2 of them.
I think I just run one more Trainers Mail like you said, to improve the consistency.

So Changelog:
-1 Jirachi
-1 Virizion
-1 Head Ringer
-1 Smeargle (I think with Energy Switch instead it could work out well, and I will not attack with Malamar really often.)

+1 Spinarak
+1 Ariados
+1 Energy Switch
+1 AZ (like you said, to get Shaymin back to hand or heal of some dmg, or just to get something out of the activ spot)

Thank you! I haven't seen any fire decks so far, so I will not include any weakness policy, since it would be worthless in most of the games and yeah, if i get paired with fire, I will probably lose, but that's okay.

I also really like your suggestion with Assault Vest, since the Muscle Band isn't really needed, because most of the things will be knock out in 2 Turn anyway and Malamar hits with 3 heads for 180... I think the math isn't really better with Muscle Band in most of the time.

So I also cut:

-2 Muscle Band
+2 Assault Vest

This would give me a 3 turn knockout against sceptile EX from any girantina EX, so thats pretty nice. and even M-Mewtwo-EX will need an extra energy. The math works lot better with assault vest, so thank you!

I will definitely test this deck, I like the results I've gotten with this in PTCGO really much and will love to play it on our next city.

Edit: What can I do against Regice? Manectric/Regice seems like a really bad match up for this deck. Any suggestions?
Also I didn't have any "Seventh Pricecard" since I really don't want to attack with Ariados and it is my only non-EX Pokémon at this point. Maybe this 2 issues could be combined.
Replace 2 Darkness Energy with 2 Rainbow Energy, and add Heatran?
Sure, the current list will deal with Regice, by setting him asleep and hope that he won't wake up. And if there is a Zoroark on the bench, waiting to wake him up, I could just lysandre him out to get a knock out and get rid of him. But I think a seventh price card would be really nice... but I don't really like the idea with rainbow energy, but it's the only reasonable thing I can think of at this time.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

Edit: What can I do against Regice? Manectric/Regice seems like a really bad match up for this deck. Any suggestions?

Replace 2 Darkness Energy with 2 Rainbow Energy, and add Heatran?
Sure, the current list will deal with Regice, by setting him asleep and hope that he won't wake up. And if there is a Zoroark on the bench, waiting to wake him up, I could just lysandre him out to get a knock out and get rid of him. But I think a seventh price card would be really nice... but I don't really like the idea with rainbow energy, but it's the only reasonable thing I can think of at this time.

Unfortunately when Regice is put into play, it requires immediate attention; i.e., you need to KO it as soon as possible (before it can attack with Resistance Blizzard) because there is currently no direct counter in your deck. An opponent can actually use it as an effective "wall" against your deck. Fortunately, with your Pokémon Abilities to inflict Poison and Sleep conditions, you have a good chance to KO it. Also, I am now at a point where I run 1 Hex Maniac in all my decks. So, you might have a chance to first use your Pokémon Abilities, and then play a Hex Maniac to stop an opponent's Stand In Ability. On your next turn, you can possibly KO the Regice.

I concur with you that incorporating Rainbow does reduces the effectiveness of the deck moreso than would help. What about Pinsir (BRT) or Virizion (AOR) (better option perhaps) as a potential counter to Regice?

 

[Yumikora]

The other option could be Forretress, but I don't think it is worth the space.
So I will go with Virizion if i missed the opportunity to knock out regice befor he starts attacking.
Virizion could also help me to get Ariados back from the discard pile or even to recover M-Sceptile if 2 of them are prized or something silly like that.
And additionally, I like the Virizion card very much. :>

So Change log again:
-1 Trainers Mail
+1 Virizion