Standard My Creative "Anti-Meta" Deck

[Willie]

So with Ultra Beasts being so powerful especially Malamar/Necrozma decks I wanted to make what i would like to call an Anti-Meta deck. I really love this deck it doesn't take to long to set up and you eventually start one hitting everything they throw at you. Just looking for a rating and some notes. I want to share with everyone and see what you all think!
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******

##Pokémon - 22

* 2 Zorua SLG 52
* 2 Zoroark-GX SLG 53
* 2 Bulbasaur SLG 1
* 3 Treecko LOT 20
* 1 Grovyle LOT 21
* 1 Ivysaur SLG 2
* 3 Sceptile CES 10
* 2 Venusaur SLG 3
* 3 Poipole LOT 107
* 3 Naganadel LOT 108

##Trainer Cards - 26

* 4 Pokémon Fan Club FCO 107
* 3 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Timer Ball SUM 134
* 3 Cynthia UPR 119
* 3 Guzma BUS 115
* 4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
* 2 Choice Band GRI 121
* 1 Lillie UPR 125
* 4 Rare Candy CES 142
* 1 Life Forest {*} LOT 180

##Energy - 12

* 4 Double Colorless Energy NXD 92
* 7 Grass Energy Energy 1
* 1 Super Boost Energy {*} UPR 136

Total Cards - 60

****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******

 

[The Golden Mewtwo]

Regular Necrozma GX (the psychic one) is not an ultra beast. Blacephalon is a good ultra beast, but you could play water to counter that. I play ninja foxes and I just posted a decklist for that if you want to see my deck. My deck beats a lot of decks by KO'ing support pokemon and 2HKO'ing the main attackers. The deck isn't bad but it isn't as good as some other decks right now. Your deck would not fare too well against Zoro/Deci/Tales or Psychic malamar. I would take out a treeko and sceptile for an extra zoroark. Honestly Zoro/Deci/Tales is probably the best counter meta deck in format because it has good matchups most the time and only really losing to psychic malamar and Blacephalon. I like the deck, just not now. It would have been good if we had all these cards in Buzzwoles time though. Electric is about to become really good so maybe play a fighting deck in new meta. These are just thoughts anyway but whatever you think

 

[Willie]

I appreciate the comment! Ill have to go check out your decklist. But honestly I really love this deck. I feel like it has really good flow and early with zoro till i get ramped enough to start guzma one hitting all their gx pokemon

 

[TuxedoBlack]

Following are a few thoughts for your consideration:

I can assume what your strategy might be, but what is it?

Professor Elm's Lecture allows you to get 3 Pokémon whose HP is 60 or less. Consider replacing all 4 of the PF Club Supporters with 3 PE Lecture Supporters. In doing so, you can speed-up your bench setup and use fewer Supporters.

If you actually use 3 Rescue Stretchers (which seem excessive), then I suspect you are definitely behind in the prize count "often" (?).
IMO, 2 should be sufficient if you can get setup "quickly."

Another Timer Ball would be helpful.

Have you considered not running any DCE, but jus all G energy? Adding a few Energy Switch would help accelerate energy onto your Zoroark GX should you need them.

Further, with Zoroark GX, why not run a few Judge in order to disrupt your opponent's hand since you can still draw?

Why no Pal Pad to help recover and recycle discarded Supporters?

Given your deck utilizes 2 Stage 2 lines and 2 Stage 1 lines, your setup is inherently "slow," IMO, and you'll need 1-2 turns (more?) just to setup before you can attack effectively. Do you really need the Venasaur line?

Your deck definitely is a counter to Ultra Beast decks IF you can get setup. However, you'll have some challenges against decks like Lost March, Granbull, etc. And, you may even have a tough match-up against some UB decks like Blacephalon GX, Buzzwole GX, etc. since they can setup faster.
​

I will provide additional feedback (e.g., suggested deck changes) after your responses to my queries. I hope you find these comments helpful.

 

[Willie]

I actually have dropped my PF club for PE lecture and I like them a lot better. With the right hand i can have a total 2 stage twos out on my turn 2. So my plan is basically get Zoroark out early while i ramp up on the bench with naganadel and use venesaur to turn sceptiles powerful storm into 40x move via jungle totem. i realize this deck isn't perfect but i still really like the way it flows. I definitely will try dropping out a rescue stretcher and adding some judges. I like the DCE for Zoroark just in case I don''t have venesaur out yet. I'm not sure what to take out for judges would it be possible for you to do a + and - cards list quote of my decklist?

 

[TuxedoBlack]

...I like the DCE for Zoroark just in case I don''t have venesaur out yet...

However, Venasaur's Ability, Jungle Totem, multiplies each attached G Basic energy by 2; so, when Jungle Totem is active, Zoroark GX can attack with only 1 attached G energy. Given this capability, do, you really need the DCE? Needless to say, getting a Venasaur into play is critical in helping your deck be most effective. Your current 2-1-2 Venasaur line suggests that, outside of really bad luck, you can get at least 1 Venasaur into play.

...I'm not sure what to take out for judges would it be possible for you to do a + and - cards list quote of my decklist?

Thank you for the additional clarification. Suggested deck changes then are:

-4 Pokémon Fan Club
-1 Rescue Stretcher
-4 DC

+2 Judge - more card draw support and opponent's hand disruption
+3 Professor Elm's Lecture
+1 Timer Ball - more help get your evolution Pokémon into play
+3 G - needed to boost damage output
​

IMO, incorporating an Escape Rope (or Acerola), another Guzma, and/or Pal Pad would also be helpful; but, the revised list is now "tight." Trade-offs (e.g., reducing G energy count) would need to be made. That can best be done after further testing with a revised deck list.

I hope you find these comments helpful.

 

[Willie]

However, Venasaur's Ability, Jungle Totem, multiplies each attached G Basic energy by 2; so, when Jungle Totem is active, Zoroark GX can attack with only 1 attached G energy. Given this capability, do, you really need the DCE? Needless to say, getting a Venasaur into play is critical in helping your deck be most effective. Your current 2-1-2 Venasaur line suggests that, outside of really bad luck, you can get at least 1 Venasaur into play.


Thank you for the additional clarification. Suggested deck changes then are:

-4 Pokémon Fan Club
-1 Rescue Stretcher
-4 DC

+2 Judge - more card draw support and opponent's hand disruption
+3 Professor Elm's Lecture
+1 Timer Ball - more help get your evolution Pokémon into play
+3 G - needed to boost damage output
​

IMO, incorporating an Escape Rope (or Acerola), another Guzma, and/or Pal Pad would also be helpful; but, the revised list is now "tight." Trade-offs (e.g., reducing G energy count) would need to be made. That can best be done after further testing with a revised deck list.

I hope you find these comments helpful.

I apprciate this concise list. I will try these changes i think they will be really good!

 

[TuxedoBlack]

I apprciate this concise list. I will try these changes i think they will be really good!

You're welcomed. Through testing, I hope you find good combinations and card counts of Pokémon, Trainers and energy you like and they work well for you. Enjoy.

Btw, have you ever tested Aether Paradise Conservation Stadium and Shining Genesect (would replace the Sceptile line)? This is another good combo with Venasaur too.