Alt. Format Post-Rotation Naganadel/Stakataka Beast Box

[jo94]

Zoroark GX is a very consistent, but Sylveon GX is even moreso. Magical Ribbon just straight up guarantees how your game will progress, and swinging for 110/140 choice banded is a 2 hit KO on anything in the game. I'm actually very looking forward to playtesting Gardy/Sylveon/Zoroark vs. Naganadel/Stakataka, because despite the fairy vs steel match up, I think it's still a winnable encounter.

The match up is in Naganadel favor, it is a faster deck (there is no way that it doesn't hit at least 110 turn 2) and steel weakness is hard to deal with. Sylveon has potential after rotation because it will be one of the most consistent deck, but it needs a ohko attacker in the form of a basic, otherwise it can't keep up the pace of naga/taka or other faster deck such as malamar, vikabulu, buzzwole etc.

 

[Duo]

The match up is in Naganadel favor, it is a faster deck (there is no way that it doesn't hit at least 110 turn 2) and steel weakness is hard to deal with. Sylveon has potential after rotation because it will be one of the most consistent deck, but it needs a ohko attacker in the form of a basic, otherwise it can't keep up the pace of naga/taka or other faster deck such as malamar, vikabulu, buzzwole etc.

I disagree because of Naganadel/Stakataka's win condition against Fairy.

Stakataka GX needs 3 energy on it to OHKO Fairy. That means a Gardy needs, with 4 Stakataka GX in play, 4 energy and a choice band, or 5 energy to respond with an OHKO of its own. Diantha also allows Gardy to immediately get back in the game. Got KO'd? Okay, Diantha for a Rare Candy + Gardevoir and evolve up a Ralts on your next turn (assuming you planned ahead, which you should be).

As soon as Gardy/Sylveon/Zoroark punches through the 3-4 prize range, they are in the clear because Naganadel GX can't take KOs faster than Gardy, and Twilight GX + Diantha together make it so that Gardy/Sylveon/Zoroark is one of the longest lasting decks that can take a game to 8 prizes (Take 5 prizes, Naganadel GX back up to 3) without running out of resources.

I don't know how many other people have been playtesting Gardy/Sylveon/Zoroark, but I think it's a deck that's being severly underestimated if it's not being placed in as Tier 1 material itself. Naganadel/Stakataka is the only deck I can think of that has a favorable match up against it. Malamar variants can't top it, and Zoroark variants don't have the OHKO ceiling that Gardy does, and nothing has its ability to play out of the discard pile.

Anyway, I'll playtest it soon and let you know how it goes.

 

[Wechselbalg]

I don't see why the new Celesteela is a "staple" in agro metal.

It only works with a 6 prize total, so in terms of Naganadel GX decks, if you GX attack, you only get 1 good KO with it, and then it's just low HP prize fodder on your bench that your opponent could go for to win the game, since 3 prizes for both players is 1 GX and 1 non-GX KO. Your opponent could also just take prizes from you before you even get a KO from it and waste your time.

lol

If you're playing 4 Stakatakas you are more likely to start with one of them as opposed to starting with a 1-of. Good luck getting anything done with that in the active.

Yes, it's useless outside of its prize condition, (btw, there is also a card called Beast Ring, which can also be used to power it up if you really have to) that's why you're only playing one. In the mirror match, Naganadel can't even OHKO it, unless it has a BE attached.

 

[Duo]

lol

If you're playing 4 Stakatakas you are more likely to start with one of them as opposed to starting with a 1-of. Good luck getting anything done with that in the active.

Yes, it's useless outside of its prize condition, (btw, there is also a card called Beast Ring, which can also be used to power it up if you really have to) that's why you're only playing one. In the mirror match, Naganadel can't even OHKO it, unless it has a BE attached.

I don't know why you're getting sarcastic about it.

3 copies of Switch and 3 copies of Guzma is more than enough to get Naganadel GX into the active. Everyone knows you don't want Stakataka GX in the active, but if you're going to add a 5th card that you don't want to see in the active, then you're hurting your odds even more. Dusk Mane Necrozma Promo can actually seat itself in the active and swing for 1 energy, and Dusk Mane Necrozma GX is an unoptimal starter that's worth the risk.

Having used to run 1 copy of Alolan Vulpix in Gardevoir GX for a time, I can say I've easily had over a dozen games where I start my one of in my active. It's not unheard of or all that rare.

I don't know why you would Beast Ring onto Celesteela when you only have 10 energy in the deck. 3 of which is needed for Naganadel to access its GX, and 4 of which to use for Dusk Mane Necrozma's 2nd attack. I don't know where you're getting the rest of the energy from to make Celesteela viable outside of its prize condition.

If you want to run the card then by all means. Not everyone has to like a card that you like.