Discussion Malamar: My List, your opinions and Match Ups

Javi Blizz

Javi Blizz

Spanish TCG Player
Member
Hi guys! Since the launch of Ultra Necrozma Battle Arena Deck I have finally got 4 Jirachi, so I have decided to give a chance to Malamar. Testing with the Pokemon TCG Online (I only have 2 Jirachi there) I’ve been using this list:

My List:
2 Ultra Necrozma GX
2 Jirachi
4 Inkay
4 Malamar
1 Jirafarig
2 Giratina
1 Mew
1 Mimikyu
2 Sableye (Lost Thunder)

4 Mysterious Treasure
2 Acro Bike
2 Switch
4 Custom Catcher
3 Pokemon Communication
3 Viridian Forest
1 Power Plant
3 Cynthia
1 Copycat
3 Lillie
2 Escape Board
4 Spell Tag

1 Recycle Energy
2 Metal Energy
6 Psychic Energy

Options:
- Ultra Necrozma is basically used here for its GX attack to end games. However, starting with Ultra Necrozma or needing to bench him before its time has come usually ends up in losing 2 prizes, while you want to go single-prize until late game. I’m considering to switch 1 Ultra Necrozma for a Lost Thunder Nihilego, so that you can copy Deoxys & Espeon GX (which I’m not running because giving up 3 prizes and using 6 energies doesn’t seem so good) GX attack (since you are using [P] either way) or using it as a better Mimikyu.
- While I’m running 2-2 Jirachi/Sableye in the PTCGO, I could play 3/1 or even 4/0 Jirachi IRL.
- Girafarig is here for making things more difficult for some decks like baby Blacephalon (fire) and NagaQuag. Though I’m not sure if it’s worthy.

Match Ups:
- Psychic Malamar: atm it seems very favourable, usually it ends up in a prize exchange until you land Sky-Scorching Light GX to close the game.
- Mew3: if you can snipe Jirachi GX, it quickly goes from 50/50 to easy. At least with Girafarig you can take out some discharded ‘mons so that they have less optimal attacks. However, sniping Jirachi GX is not easy, so I guess 50/50.
- Oranguru control: I literally don’t know how to play against this.
- Ability Zard: if you don’t start with Ultra Necrozma, its maybe 50/50 or 40/60.
- Blacephalon GX and Baby Blowns: both seems good MU, at least from playtesting in PTCGO.
- PikaRom, PikaBill and Green’s Reshizard: Not enough information yet.

Your opinion matters too!
So guys, tell me:
- How would you improve my list?
- Are you Malamar players? From your experience, what is your opinion about the meta match ups?
- If you’re not Malamar players, which deck do you play and how you face the Malamar match up? What do you usually try to do (if possible, something more elaborated than just “snipping Malamar”)
 
I think you should cut an ultra for the 4th p. comm and cut the copycat for a lillie/cynthia.
The sableye are interesting. How are they working for you?
Also, consider teching in a latios gx.
 
AngryBokoblin said:
I think you should cut an ultra for the 4th p. comm and cut the copycat for a lillie/cynthia.
The sableye are interesting. How are they working for you?
Also, consider teching in a latios gx.
Click to expand...

Hi @AngryBokoblin ! I have considered cutting 1 Ultra Necrozma, but for the Nihilego. The 4th Pokemon Communication seems excesive, there are times that I have Pokemon Communication in hand in T1 but no Pokemon to use them.

Best case scenario is you start the game, Jirachi and then retreat/switch to search with Sableye. Although it usually ends up being or Jirachi or Sableye T1. Searching for a card while starting you the game is nice, though.

How would Latios GX improve the deck? Since you want to Sky-Scorching Light GX or copy a GX with Nihilego (does it count as using your GX, I guess), the only other use I see would be stopping Tag Teams, but they have ways to play around it.

Anyway, thanks a lot for your opinion, and feel free to discuss everything that I’ve replied! :)
 
Hi Javi Blizz,

Nice deck choice. Malamar variants are underrated. Maybe consider these modifications:

- 1 Girafrig (not needed unless there are specific decks in your local meta that need this specific counter)
- 1 Copycat (not that great in this format)

Include one additional Cynthia and one additional Lillie instead. A total of eight stable draw supporters is the lowest I would perspnally be willing to go. I would even consider to include two Erika's Hospitality in addition to the aforementioned 4-4 Lillie and Cynthia. You could cut the two Acro Bikes for them.

Malamar variants will become a lot more consistent with the release of cards such as Rosa, Lana's Fishing Rod, and Oricorio GX in the next set. Good luck with the list. Hope this provides some initial assistance.

Regarding the suggestion to include Latios GX: I assume that the main reason is not the GX attack but its main attack which blocks Tag Team Pokémon from damaging it. I am not that sold on Latios GX since most decks will contain non-GX and non-Tag Team attackers to bypass Latios GX but against pure Tag Team decks it can be a pain to overcome.
 
Dark Espeon said:
Hi Javi Blizz,

Nice deck choice. Malamar variants are underrated. Maybe consider these modifications:

- 1 Girafrig (not needed unless there are specific decks in your local meta that need this specific counter)
- 1 Copycat (not that great in this format)

Include one additional Cynthia and one additional Lillie instead. A total of eight stable draw supporters is the lowest I would perspnally be willing to go. I would even consider to include two Erika's Hospitality in addition to the aforementioned 4-4 Lillie and Cynthia. You could cut the two Acro Bikes for them.

Malamar variants will become a lot more consistent with the release of cards such as Rosa, Lana's Fishing Rod, and Oricorio GX in the next set. Good luck with the list. Hope this provides some initial assistance.

Regarding the suggestion to include Latios GX: I assume that the main reason is not the GX attack but its main attack which blocks Tag Team Pokémon from damaging it. I am not that sold on Latios GX since most decks will contain non-GX and non-Tag Team attackers to bypass Latios GX but against pure Tag Team decks it can be a pain to overcome.
Click to expand...

Hi, @Dark Espeon !

I’ll try swapping Girafarig for a supporter, either a Cynthia or Lillie. Copycat is useful in mid-to-late game, against Welder decks, which often has large hand sizes, same as GardEon. However, asumming that I take out Copycat, what about adding a Sightseer? In the right time, it lets you discard both [P] and Giratina.

I’m not too sold on Erika’s Hospitality. While it will give me bigger hand sizes, it stops me discarding energies or giratinas with acro bike, and changes from an item to a supporter, which I can’t use more than 1 in T1. I consider T1 so important in order to set up as much Inkay as possible for T2. However, I can try Erika in the Girafarig spot too.

The cards that I’m waiting the most from Cosmic Eclipse for this deck are Lana’s fishing rod and especially, Blacephalon (Psychic type).

Thanks!
 
Javi Blizz said:
Hi, @Dark Espeon !

I’ll try swapping Girafarig for a supporter, either a Cynthia or Lillie. Copycat is useful in mid-to-late game, against Welder decks, which often has large hand sizes, same as GardEon. However, asumming that I take out Copycat, what about adding a Sightseer? In the right time, it lets you discard both [P] and Giratina.

I’m not too sold on Erika’s Hospitality. While it will give me bigger hand sizes, it stops me discarding energies or giratinas with acro bike, and changes from an item to a supporter, which I can’t use more than 1 in T1. I consider T1 so important in order to set up as much Inkay as possible for T2. However, I can try Erika in the Girafarig spot too.

The cards that I’m waiting the most from Cosmic Eclipse for this deck are Lana’s fishing rod and especially, Blacephalon (Psychic type).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi Javi Blizz,

Make sure to run 4 Cynthia and 4 Lillie. The nonth slot can be either Erika's Hospitality or Copycat. You could even run ten draw supporters and break even on Erika's Hospitality and Copycat. I always tend to have issues with Malamar if I run less than a total of ten draw supporters in my deck even with either Jirachi or Oricorio GX to supplement the draw engine.

Blacephalon is a definitive one-off in Malamar once it is released. Do not sleep on Rosa. At the moment I run three of them in addition to the aforementioned 4 Lillie and 4 Cynthia and they definitively increase the consistency of the deck. This is the list I run at the moment and it is surprisingly consistent.
 
Dark Espeon said:
Hi Javi Blizz,

Make sure to run 4 Cynthia and 4 Lillie. The nonth slot can be either Erika's Hospitality or Copycat. You could even run ten draw supporters and break even on Erika's Hospitality and Copycat. I always tend to have issues with Malamar if I run less than a total of ten draw supporters in my deck even with either Jirachi or Oricorio GX to supplement the draw engine.

Blacephalon is a definitive one-off in Malamar once it is released. Do not sleep on Rosa. At the moment I run three of them in addition to the aforementioned 4 Lillie and 4 Cynthia and they definitively increase the consistency of the deck. This is the list I run at the moment and it is surprisingly consistent.
Click to expand...

Hi, @Dark Espeon !

Okey, I’ll see how to increase the draw supporters count. Let’s see if I can get some Rosa this weekend during the prerelease.

Also, what is your opinion about the important match ups?
 
Javi Blizz said:
Hi, @Dark Espeon !

Okey, I’ll see how to increase the draw supporters count. Let’s see if I can get some Rosa this weekend during the prerelease.

Also, what is your opinion about the important match ups?
Click to expand...

Most Tag Team based decks should be fine if you can stream attackers. This also holds for Raichu as a potential new non GX variant. Watch out for decks focused on the new Guzzlord since these decks can force Malamar into unfavorable prize trades and your options to block that are limited.

Here are some cards to look for as possible additions to Malamar decks from the new set:

Blacephalon
Oricorio GX
Mimikyu (Shadow Box)

Island Challenge Amulet
Lana's Fishing Rod
Cynthia & Caitlin
Great Catcher
Rosa
 
The thing with latios is that your opponent uses their non-gx options on the tinas and then late game, you can stick a latios in the active and you are immune.
Like in pikarom matchup.
Also helps with bulky tag teams that want to use their bulk to shrug off tinas.
 
Sure, the new Mimikyu is a must, probably taking the place of Power Plant.

Also, how I’n supposed to beat Oranguru/Pidgeotto? I can’t power up a Giratina quick enough, and if I do, I have some malamars to Custom Carcher in the actuve spot
 
Javi Blizz said:
Sure, the new Mimikyu is a must, probably taking the place of Power Plant.

Also, how I’n supposed to beat Oranguru/Pidgeotto? I can’t power up a Giratina quick enough, and if I do, I have some malamars to Custom Carcher in the actuve spot
Click to expand...

Distortion Door them and use either Espeon & Deoxys GX or Blacephalon to finish two to three Pidgeotto on the bench. Jirachi and a stable draw supporter count help to overcome the draw drought enforced by Pidgeotto control.
 
The problem with Blacephalon is the same as with Ultra Necrozma, reaching the prizes treshold. If I don’t include a Espeon & Deoxys (I don’t have it in PTCGO), could work using only if possible Mew and Sableye? They both place for 1 energy 3 damage counters in any way I want.
 
Javi Blizz said:
The problem with Blacephalon is the same as with Ultra Necrozma, reaching the prizes treshold. If I don’t include a Espeon & Deoxys (I don’t have it in PTCGO), could work using only if possible Mew and Sableye? They both place for 1 energy 3 damage counters in any way I want.
Click to expand...
They will power up the guru and take KOs though.
Keep a tina or better yet a latios (free retreat) on bench to ko the gurus.
 
If your issue is that Pidgeotto control does not take knock outs when you want to take out Pidgeotto an alternate option would be Jinx who places damage counters equal to your opponents benched Pokémon on the opponent's side of the field in any way you want for one Psychic Energy and a Colorless Energy.
 
That Jynx sound interesting, although very situational (only useful against Pidgeotto control). However, next matches I’ll try to provocate the gurus killing my mew/sableye (so that Spell Tag stops being a 4-of dead card) and if that still doesn’t work I’ll try with Jynx.

In other things to comment, I’ve played today 3 matches against Green’s Reshizard. The balance has been 2W 1L, but idk how skilled my opponents were. Nihilego hitting 230 for a [P] is very fun, but if they still have another Reshizard it’s difficult to win the game. Mimikyu gets limited by the low damage output from Outrage (from Mimikyu’s HP) and the fact that he can’t copy GX attacks.

Also, I have found 3 Melmetal & Lucario Tag Team GX deck today, which seems like an autoloss. You hit them -80 every hit. Fortunatelly, I can’t imaging someone here playing it in a League Cup or Challenge.
 
Javi Blizz said:
That Jynx sound interesting, although very situational (only useful against Pidgeotto control). However, next matches I’ll try to provocate the gurus killing my mew/sableye (so that Spell Tag stops being a 4-of dead card) and if that still doesn’t work I’ll try with Jynx.

In other things to comment, I’ve played today 3 matches against Green’s Reshizard. The balance has been 2W 1L, but idk how skilled my opponents were. Nihilego hitting 230 for a [P] is very fun, but if they still have another Reshizard it’s difficult to win the game. Mimikyu gets limited by the low damage output from Outrage (from Mimikyu’s HP) and the fact that he can’t copy GX attacks.

Also, I have found 3 Melmetal & Lucario Tag Team GX deck today, which seems like an autoloss. You hit them -80 every hit. Fortunatelly, I can’t imaging someone here playing it in a League Cup or Challenge.
Click to expand...

On Reshiram & Charizard: You can still copy Flare strike with Mimikyu even if Mimikyu only has two energies attached in total. Also note that Malamar decks could also use cards such as Giratina Prism or Lunala Prism to hit the opponent a little harder.

There are more tech options for Malamar than for most other decks but you need to nail down the choices to a few selected tech attackers that can be searched with Pokémon Communiction and Myterious Treasure alike. You cannot squeeze everything into one deck. Choose your attackers based on the meta that you expect for any specific event but ensure not to compromise the consistency of the deck.

On Lucario & Melmetal: Keep in mind that placing damage counters bypasses the damage reduction provided by Full Metal Wall GX and Metal Frying Pan.
 
Dark Espeon said:
On Reshiram & Charizard: You can still copy Flare strike with Mimikyu even if Mimikyu only has two energies attached in total. Also note that Malamar decks could also use cards such as Giratina Prism or Lunala Prism to hit the opponent a little harder.

There are more tech options for Malamar than for most other decks but you need to nail down the choices to a few selected tech attackers that can be searched with Pokémon Communiction and Myterious Treasure alike. You cannot squeeze everything into one deck. Choose your attackers based on the meta that you expect for any specific event but ensure not to compromise the consistency of the deck.

On Lucario & Melmetal: Keep in mind that placing damage counters bypasses the damage reduction provided by Full Metal Wall GX and Metal Frying Pan.
Click to expand...

Sure, the problem is that it requires my opponent to use Flare Strike in the first place, so it isn’t always a possible response. I don’t think using a tech is needed though, just be carefull to when use each pokemon.

On Melmetal & Lucario, the problem is that they run 4x Great Potion, so chip damage from Giratina’s ability and Spell Tag is gone before you can hit hard enough :(
 
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