My first deck - Steelix/Tyranitar (dark/steel) deck

[Burlingot]

Hello everybody, my ficticious name is Burlingot and I'm a total newbie on the Pokémon TCG (I've been playing pro on VGC, but I have never probed TCG until a few days ago, and I liked it).

So, ok, I'm from Spain, and over there there are not so many people who play Pokémon TCG, so it's hard to find somebody who can help me play in a competitive way (if there's anything I say that doesn't belong to this subforum, you tell me, I'l fix it ^^ ).

Let's get started. This is my very first deck, and I, more or less, made it according to my likes. That's how I came up with mixing Dark and Metal (Steel? sorry, I'm mixing with spanish literal translation), since they are pretty atractive and powerful pokémon. I've got to play a couple of times online, on an emulator, and it seems I lack on experience (of course) and something else I don't get, since they all have pretty good strategies but I do not.

That's why I'm here, for you to tell me what to change in order for this deck being competitive. You may change it as much as you wish, as long as you help me improve it. And... That's all, I think.

Ok, before I go through my deck, lemme explain my abreviations:
HSUD stands for HS Undaunted.
HSU stands for HS Unleashed.
COL stands for Call of Legends.

2x Beldum HSUD
2x Eevee HSUD
2x Larvitar HSU
1x Mawile HSUD
1x Metagross HSUD
2x Metang HSUD
2x Onix HSU
2x Pupitar HSU
1x Scizor HSUD
2x Scyther HSUD
1x Skarmory HSUD
1x Steelix HSU
1x Tyranitar HSU
1x Umbreon HSUD

21

1x Energy Returner HSU
2x Life Herb HSU
2x Poke Ball HG&SS
1x Pokémon Circulator HSU
3x Switch HG&SS
2x Ruins of Alpha HSUD
1x Sage's Training HSUD
1x Engineer Adjustment HSU
1x Professor Elm's Training Method COL

14

10x Darkness Energy (Basic) HG&SS
5x Double Colorless Energy HG&SS
10x Metal Energy (Basic) HG&SS

25

Strategy
I really don't know which strategy to use, but I might want to boost some poké while one gets all the damage. Don't know yet, you tell me what's best.

What I like about other decks is the "ability" to take out the pokémon they wish through support cards. That's why adding Sableye could be good, isn't it?

Thanks for everything, I'll accept any advice you give me ^^

 

[Brandon Smiley]

RE: My very first competitive deck (dark/metal)

Welcome to the TCG.

First off, you can only play 4 of a special energy, just like with any other card. So, you have to drop a Double Colorless Energy(Or, DCE for short)
Now, the TCG is alot more exspensive then the Video Games, since you have to actually buy cards and not just the cartridge.
In todays format(the decks that are most oftenly used) we usually use the rare candy method of Pokemon lines(i.e 3 Gastly 2 Haunter 3 Gengar, or 3-2-3 Gengar) But, since Rare Candys are usually exspensive(somewhat) you can use a type of Pyramid until you get them.(Pyramid is like 4 Gastly 3 Haunter 1 through 3 Gengar)

But first, we need to start with your energy.
Since your playing a Dark and Metal type deck, you can play the Special Dark Energy and Special Metal Energy which have better effects then the basic energy. Also, less energy is usually play in our format since we have ways to search it out. (Easiest way for you to use is Interviewers Questions) so dropping your energy down to around 18 or less is okay since it will give you more space for other cards.
You could try using these energy lines-
4 Special Dark energy COL
4 Special Metal Energy COL
4 Double Colorless Energy HS
3 Basic Metal
3 Basic Dark
That gives you 18 energy, which is a fair amount.(Some decks only use 12-10, and they work fine)

Next, is your Trainers, Supporters and Stadiums.
These are usually played in amounts of 20 or more, since they can help you have more consistency(a better chance of getting set-up faster)
1x Energy Returner HSU
2x Life Herb HSU
2x Poke Ball HG&SS
1x Pokémon Circulator HSU
3x Switch HG&SS
2x Ruins of Alpha HSUD
1x Sage's Training HSUD
1x Engineer Adjustment HSU
1x Professor Elm's Training Method COL
That's your current T/S/S line, which is okay since your newer.
Pokemon Collector, which is a very important card(which isn't very cheap, but is attainable) that helps you get out your basic Pokemon. Usually two or more of these should be played in every deck.
Interviewers Questions is recommended since you use alot of different types of energy in this deck.
Broken Time-Space, and Rare Candy, which are sadly somewhat expensive, but are good cards to have in your deck to help get set-up alot faster, but there not 100% needed, usually 2 or more Broken Time-Space are played, and 3 or 4 rare candy depending on your deck.
Cards like Pokemon Communication, Expert Belt, Flower Shop Lady, Luxury Ball, and other cards are also good, but i'm on a time limit so i don't really have time to explain all of those, sorry!
But a basic T/S/S line for your deck would be like the following-
3 Pokemon Collector
3 Bebe's Search
1 Flower Shop Lady
3 Rare Candy
2 Broken Time-Space
1 Luxury Ball
1 Pokemon Communication


For your Pokemon Lines-
Uxie. It's a great card and the best draw-power card we have in this format. 2 should be played, but they are also somewhat hard to get.
Azelf. Helps get things out of your Prize Cards and then you can re-arrange them.

If you have Rare Candy i'd play,
4 Larvitar Mountain Eater
3 Pupitar Energy Boost(?)
3-4 Tyranitar PRIME (The other one is okay too if you dont have the Prime)
3 Onix (The one that heals)
3 Steelix Prime (The other one is okay too if you dont have the Prime)
2 Uxie
1 Azelf

But, if you don't have rare candy, then you can play -
4 Larvitar
3 Pupitar
2 Tyranitar
3 Onix
3 Steelix
2 Uxie
1 Azelf

Theres not really much of a difference, but if you don't have rare candy its better to use a Pyramid Pokemon Line.

So, a skeleton list would be-
4 Larvitar
3 Pupitar
3 Tyranitar Prime (Could be 4, since 4 is better)
3 Onix
3 Steelix Prime
2 Uxie
1 Azelf

3 Pokemon Collector
3 Bebe's Search
2 Interviewers Questions
1 Flower Shop Lady
3 Rare Candy
2 Broken Time-Space
1 Luxury Ball
1 Pokemon Communication


4 DCE
4 Special Metal
4 Special Dark
3 Basic Metal
3 Basic Dark


That may be somewhat expensive to buy, but it's alot better, and shouldn't be too hard too get everything.