Standard Metagross GX

[Luis Delgado]

I´ve been working on a deck arround metagross, but i cant find a consistency, im trying to set the metagross por turn 2, but even with all this draw hand supporters, i cant have a hand with a beldum/metagross/rare candy/energy, i was thinking of getting acro bikes but i dont know.

 

[snoopy369]

You need Tapu Lele to make this consistent. If you don't have any Leles, you're going to have a hard time with a deck like this unfortunately. But I'll look at this assuming you don't have that option.

Acro bikes might help, certainly, and add another ultra ball for sure. You also need at least one 'big attacker' - dusk mane necrozma GX, ultra necrozma GX, solgaleo GX, one of those usually. Two is better. You also need some way to do damage if you run into hoopa; your oranguru is your only real choice right now, which might be sufficient, but honestly I don't know that oranguru is even a good fit for this deck. Alolan vulpix with beacon is really nice, and it's what you want out first turn if at all possible, even retreating a beldum if needed to get it into active.

I don't find Kukui all that helpful in this deck (I guess you occasionally can hit 210 with it, but not that often, esp. w/o Tapu Lele). Guzma is less useful here than in most, though I still run a few. Tate and Liza probably can go. One more Lillie would be a good idea, too. Your supporter line should probably be:

4 Cynthia
4 Lillie
3 Guzma
3 Stephens Resolve

That's 14 supporters, which is a lot. Cut a stephen's resolve even perhaps.

Your pokemon (12):

4 beldum
4 metagross gx
1 dhelmise (maybe 2?)
1 alolan vulpix GRI
1 dusk mane necrozma gx (or Ultra Necrozma)
1 oranguru SUM (and I consider this highly optional, replace with a non-gx attacker, maybe metagross CES?)

8 metal energy (or psychic/metal if you use Ultra Necrozma) leaves you room for 26 items (or 27 if you cut a stephen's resolve):
4 nest ball
4 ultraball
4 rare candy
4 max potions
4 choice band
2 rescue stretcher
4 other items - could be acro bikes, could be pal pad (though I don't know that's needed here), could be field blower if you're that worried about shrine (don't be), could be timer ball. Your choice.

 

[Luis Delgado]

But how i could use, Tapu Lele, to make thsi consistent? i mean i dont have any lele in my deck, and i dont know how make a good use of it

 

[snoopy369]

But how i could use, Tapu Lele, to make thsi consistent? i mean i dont have any lele in my deck, and i dont know how make a good use of it

Tapu Lele's job is to allow you to pull a supporter into your hand at any time. Most of the time, it's on turn one, when you either draw one or draw an ultra ball, and then play it to pull a Lillie or Cynthia into your hand in order to get a better setup. This makes your deck far more consistent, since you have a lot more cards to look at - looking at 13 cards instead of looking at 7 gives you a better shot at hitting the cards you need to set up. It's also a great protection against dead drawing early on.

Later in the game, it's also useful because you might need a Guzma to finish off one of your opponent's pokemon (or to hit one of their annoying Magcargos or similar).

 

[Pyukumuku]

You can also get your stevens resolve with tapu lele, and that basically guarantees your t2 metagross, which is as important as you can get. Lost metagross lists run 2-3 Tapu lele, and if you watch a couple of metagross youtube videos, you shall see why.

I would also run a couple of psychic energy, as it allows your dhelmise to attack, and ohko BuzzGX, Baby Buzz, and other psychic weak pokemon

its a great late-game attacker.

 

[snoopy369]

If you do add 2 Tapu Leles, you can drop a Lillie and a Stephen's Resolve for them I'd say, or include them in the '4 other items'. You definitely can drop a supporter or two if you have Leles in there, though.

 

[Pyukumuku]

If you do add 2 Tapu Leles, you can drop a Lillie and a Stephen's Resolve for them I'd say.

2 ultra necrozma is also VERY important, as you an reliable ohko zoroarks with ultra. Its a mediocre starter, sure, but it really hits where it counts.

You will want to run a 5-5 split of metal and psychic then

 

[snoopy369]

2 ultra necrozma is also VERY important, as you an reliable ohko zoroarks with ultra. Its a mediocre starter, sure, but it really hits where it counts.

You will want to run a 5-5 split of metal and psychic then

DM Necrozma is fine for that, too; I play Ultra but adding psychic is an extra complication that a lot of people would rather avoid. Two of them is a good idea, but honestly I often manage fine with just one (and rescue stretcher) - it's just the prizing that's a concern.

 

[Audiofreak19]

You definitely want a lele in there for emergencies and for consistency. I have a Metagross list that runs 3 ultra nec and 4 Metagross using ultra nec as my primary attacker. The. Metagross as back up

 

[Shikageru]

5-5 split? Dang. I've been running 7-4. Then again, last night I playtest this whole concept with 6-4-1, with the 1 being an electric energy and a Volkner, allowing for cheeky t2 algorithm plays as Metagross can use the electric energy for both attacks. It also makes the opponent pause and wonder if you are playing Xurkitree gx which is terrifying for Zoroark decks imho.

 

[Pyukumuku]

5-5 split? Dang. I've been running 7-4. Then again, last night I playtest this whole concept with 6-4-1, with the 1 being an electric energy and a Volkner, allowing for cheeky t2 algorithm plays as Metagross can use the electric energy for both attacks. It also makes the opponent pause and wonder if you are playing Xurkitree gx which is terrifying for Zoroark decks imho.

just shove in a xurkiree gx. No reaason not to...

 

[snoopy369]

just shove in a xurkiree gx. No reaason not to...

I feel like this deck is tight enough that is a good reason not to all by itself...

 

[Luis Delgado]

Well i have come to this, i think i dont rely on the dusk mane, i hardly play it...

 

[snoopy369]

Hmm. I think DM is important, when you're facing 210hp Zoroark; it really simplifies that matchup, at least one 1HKO there.

I would dump tate and liza (2) and beast energy (1), and add in alolan vulpix (beacon) or even two Vulpix as they really help first turn set-up, and you could add in a Kukui or two perhaps. You also don't seem to have an answer for Hoopa, which could be a problem (you can't attack with your only non-GX pokemon); maybe an Oranguru SM113 would be a good addition for that purpose and for more consistency.

 

[snoopy369]

I wouldn't add psychic unless you're going to play UNecrozma. This deck basically always plays Algorithm early, so Tapu Cure won't ever be used, and if you're attacking with dhelmise you're in trouble (and one psychic is hard to get to anyway with no energy search cards).

Metang is *sometimes* useful, but it slows the deck a lot any time you have to use it; most of the time Vulpix is grabbing more beldums or metagross, so it's still quite busy. But agreed that it's probably worth playing one (I have one in mine).

 

[Pyukumuku]

I wouldn't add psychic unless you're going to play UNecrozma. This deck basically always plays Algorithm early, so Tapu Cure won't ever be used, and if you're attacking with dhelmise you're in trouble (and one psychic is hard to get to anyway with no energy search cards).

Metang is *sometimes* useful, but it slows the deck a lot any time you have to use it; most of the time Vulpix is grabbing more beldums or metagross, so it's still quite busy. But agreed that it's probably worth playing one (I have one in mine).

Dhelmise is a good one prize attacket that can ohko buzzwole. I think that if your attacking with dhelmise you are a pretty smart player

 

[snoopy369]

Dhelmise can OHKO Buzzwole, but so can Metagross; but is that really worth adding a psychic energy? I guess just one isn't a big deal, but I wouldn't depend on it.

 

[Pyukumuku]

Dhelmise can OHKO Buzzwole, but so can Metagross; but is that really worth adding a psychic energy? I guess just one isn't a big deal, but I wouldn't depend on it.

(buzzwole GX)

 

[snoopy369]

With a choice band, sure, but again so can Metagross as long as dhelmise is on the table. Like I said I guess if it happens to work out it's not a bad strategy, you do avoid losing 2 prizes on the way back, and if you're just adding the one energy it's okay (as it won't cost you anything on Metagross).