Standard Primarina GX

[MajoraMayhem]

Mons
3 Primarina GX SUM
1 Brionne SUM
4 Popplio SUM
2 Palkia EX BKP
2 Shaymin EX ROS
1 Manaphy EX BKP

13

Trainers
4 Professor Sycamore
4 Lillie
2 N
1 Lysandre

4 Dive Ball
3 Ultra Ball
4 Rare Candy
4 Max Elixir
4 VS Seeker
1 Super Rod
1 Fighting Fury Belt
2 Trainer's Mail
3 Rough Seas

37

Energy
10 Water

Fairly linear concept, build a Primarina, toss a lot of energy on your Palkias and beat down your opponent. Primarina's best features are its typing and health. Water has access to solid support cards in the form of Manaphy EX BKP and Rough Seas (and a sweet auto-win to Volcanion), and a 250 body that can heal itself is nothing to turn your nose up to. Obvious issues are: A) Stage 2 Rare Candy build with Max Elixir can leave you with some pretty unplayable hands. B) Losing a Primarina GX sets you extremely far back, and in a match against Darkrai or Ray will probably cost you the game.

Any comments are welcome and any criticisms are encouraged.

 

[Calcab]

I've been loking for a way to play Primarina just because I really like this Pokémon. It has a fairly good attack, and even though people don't see a game for it, I think it can stand a place if played in the right way.

Your list seems good, but we have to consider that this kind of decks (the slower ones) usually start behind in the prizes, so I would add a Ace Trainer to disrupt your opponent. Also, a third N would be good since you really need the right cards and with Stage1 and Stage2 Pokémon + Max Elixir, it's not that easy to clean up your hand for Lillie.

I would drop the 4 Lillie for +1 N, +2 Trainers Mail and +1 Ace Trainer.

You could also try Octillery instead of Shaymin for a more budget build, it helps a lot more in the late game when you get N'ed, it's kind of easy to set up in water decks and you don't need that speed in the first turns in this deck. I'm not sure if it's better, just a thought.

 

[MajoraMayhem]

I've been loking for a way to play Primarina just because I really like this Pokémon. It has a fairly good attack, and even though people don't see a game for it, I think it can stand a place if played in the right way.

Your list seems good, but we have to consider that this kind of decks (the slower ones) usually start behind in the prizes, so I would add a Ace Trainer to disrupt your opponent. Also, a third N would be good since you really need the right cards and with Stage1 and Stage2 Pokémon + Max Elixir, it's not that easy to clean up your hand for Lillie.

I would drop the 4 Lillie for +1 N, +2 Trainers Mail and +1 Ace Trainer.

You could also try Octillery instead of Shaymin for a more budget build, it helps a lot more in the late game when you get N'ed, it's kind of easy to set up in water decks and you don't need that speed in the first turns in this deck. I'm not sure if it's better, just a thought.[/Q

Have to stand up for Lillie here, she's been a godsend while playtesting Stage 2 decks. The only things that will really be clogging up my hand are the Candies and Primarina, which are both of the cards that I'll usually be looking to hit off a Lillie. Max Elixir is viable on any of the nine basics I play, of which I have seven searcher cards for. Its obviously best on a Palkia or a Popplio, but it does its job in boosting Primarina's damage anywhere.

I have yet to try out Ace Trainer in the deck, and I agree that it will likely be live in most games. My main question is would Teammates be better, as disrupting your opponent for six lacks the "oomph" to me that searching out your combo pieces does. I usually prefer to help myself over harming my opponent. Will definitely give Ace a try though, perhaps there's a shine to it that I'm just not seeing.

I would also love Octillery in the deck, but I'm terrified of Garbodor, and the space it would demand makes the downsides too great at the moment. However if anyone reading this doesn't have Shaymins I would highly recommend Octillery.

 

[Miatog]

I'm pretty new to all of this but are you really ok with only 1 Brinonne? Are you pulling rare candies that reliably to only have a single Stage 1? And as someone looking to build his own Primarina GX deck, is 10 enough energy? At most you can do 210 damage, still a fair amount of Pokemon that can survive the attack. I've been thinking 12 energy, just so I have that potential of 250 damage.

Other than those two concerns this deck looks great to me.

 

[MajoraMayhem]

I'm pretty new to all of this but are you really ok with only 1 Brinonne? Are you pulling rare candies that reliably to only have a single Stage 1? And as someone looking to build his own Primarina GX deck, is 10 enough energy? At most you can do 210 damage, still a fair amount of Pokemon that can survive the attack. I've been thinking 12 energy, just so I have that potential of 250 damage.

Other than those two concerns this deck looks great to me.

I really never want to play a Brionne down, its there to play around item lock or if I whiff the candy. Otherwise the card is useless, so its fine as a searchable one-off.

As far as the energy is concerned I don't believe that this deck should be approached as a OHKO'er. Realistically you're going to be two-shotting in the mid-game anyways, and its only in the late game that the possibility of a 200+ Bubble Beat arises. Energy is dead at multiples in your hand, so I prefer keeping the count low(ish) while ensuring that Max Elixir stays live throughout the game.

 

[Breeder Emmy]

Hi have playtested with Primarina GX a lot, and have settled on this list below. I find that Lapras GX is too important to leave out, it's GX is vital vs Mega deck as Primarina's is lackluster, and collect is valueble early game. I agree that Lillie is paramount to success and find that collect alongside Lillie allows you to get Primarina GX out very quickly without losing resources to Prof. Sycamore. Misty's Determination over the 3rd Lillie as Lillie is useless when you hand is large, but you don't want to discard it either with Prof. Sycamore, and N is often too random with all the rare candies - notably Misty can get energy which is often all you need, and the discard allows you to get rid of single redundant cards (eg. Rare Candy) in your hand so late game N's do not hurt as much. I also noticed you did not include any EXP shares or Float stones, which honestly I believe the deck cannot function without, Manaphy cannot be relied on and is vulnerable to Lysandre.

Pokemon (15):
2 Palkia-EX
3 Primarina-GX
1 Manaphy-EX
2 Shaymin-EX
4 Popplio SM3
1 Brionne
2 Lapras-GX

Supporters (11):
3 Professor Sycamore
2 N
2 Lysandre
2 Lillie
1 Professor Kukui
1 Misty's Determination

Items (20):
3 VS Seeker
2 Ultra Ball
4 Rare Candy
3 Max Elixer
3 Dive Ball
1 Super Rod
2 Float Stone
2 Exp. Share

Stadiums (2):
Rough Seas 2

Energy (12):
12 Water Energy


Additional notes+Attack Calcs:
Professor Kukui + Lapras 160 + Palkia 40 = 220 which kills Megas, then Lapras GX + another 120+ (Palkia/Primarina/Lapras) attack can kill the second Mega, and a late Lysandre can seal the game.
Professor Kukui + Lapras 160 = 180
Professor Kukui + Palkia 40 = 60
12 Energy = Primarina max dmg 250 (Professor Kukui is backup if energy is prized)
Popplio SM3 Sing attack is crucial in certain moments, can act as a 7th Prize, and EXP share can regain the energy.

 

[MajoraMayhem]

Hi have playtested with Primarina GX a lot, and have settled on this list below. I find that Lapras GX is too important to leave out, it's GX is vital vs Mega deck as Primarina's is lackluster, and collect is valueble early game. I agree that Lillie is paramount to success and find that collect alongside Lillie allows you to get Primarina GX out very quickly without losing resources to Prof. Sycamore. Misty's Determination over the 3rd Lillie as Lillie is useless when you hand is large, but you don't want to discard it either with Prof. Sycamore, and N is often too random with all the rare candies - notably Misty can get energy which is often all you need, and the discard allows you to get rid of single redundant cards (eg. Rare Candy) in your hand so late game N's do not hurt as much. I also noticed you did not include any EXP shares or Float stones, which honestly I believe the deck cannot function without, Manaphy cannot be relied on and is vulnerable to Lysandre.

Pokemon (15):
2 Palkia-EX
2 Primarina-GX
1 Manaphy-EX
2 Shaymin-EX
4 Popplio SM3
1 Brionne
2 Lapras-GX

Supporters (11):
3 Professor Sycamore
2 N
2 Lysandre
2 Lillie
1 Professor Kukui
1 Misty's Determination

Items (20):
3 VS Seeker
2 Ultra Ball
4 Rare Candy
3 Max Elixer
3 Dive Ball
1 Super Rod
2 Float Stone
2 Exp. Share

Stadiums (2):
Rough Seas 2

Energy (12):
12 Water Energy


Additional notes+Attack Calcs:
Professor Kukui + Lapras 160 + Palkia 40 = 220 which kills Megas, then Lapras GX + another 120+ (Palkia/Primarina/Lapras) attack can kill the second Mega, and a late Lysandre can seal the game.
Professor Kukui + Lapras 160 = 180
Professor Kukui + Palkia 40 = 60
12 Energy = Primarina max dmg 250 (Professor Kukui is backup if energy is prized)
Popplio SM3 Sing attack is crucial in certain moments, can act as a 7th Prize, and EXP share can regain the energy.

Dunno how I forgot Exp. Share, that card is pure gold in these types of decks.

I have to heavily disagree with playing Lapras GX. Using an attack for a Tierno is simply bad, and you get much better traction in the deck by resolving Palkia's Aqua Turbo. If you'd want to have a better GX attack in the deck then I would always play Tauros over Lapras.

I really dislike Misty's Determination as a card. It nets you one card that you can't guarantee, and eats up your ability to play a Lysandre or N, or any other disruptive Supporters you would choose to play. I concede that there are specific scenarios where it can be good, even great, but it is just such a sub-par supporter overall.

I agree with the Float Stone theory, but space is an issue with this deck.

As far as issues I have looking at your list overall, VS Seeker is an inarguable 4. I dislike that you play only two Primarina's, as that says to me that you're only reliably setting up one which is dooming yourself considering how much of this deck revolves around that card. I also dislike the 2-3 split for Ultra Balls and Dive Balls, as hitting your Elixir targets and your Primarina's by turn 2 is a necessity.

Kukui is undoubtedly a good card in the deck, but I do believe that playing this as a bulky, streamlined two-shot deck is better than reaching for the OHKO's. I think we would both agree that space is an issue, and there are better cards than Doctor Abs.

I do appreciate you commenting your own ideas and experiences with the concept. Discussion is the best way to grow in this game.

 

[Breeder Emmy]

As far as issues I have looking at your list overall, VS Seeker is an inarguable 4. I dislike that you play only two Primarina's, as that says to me that you're only reliably setting up one which is dooming yourself considering how much of this deck revolves around that card. I also dislike the 2-3 split for Ultra Balls and Dive Balls, as hitting your Elixir targets and your Primarina's by turn 2 is a necessity.

The 2 Primarinas are a typo, was meant to be 3 - I was a card short in the above list. Thanks I have corrected it now.

I disagree with statement that hitting your Elixers by turn 2 is a necessity, I originally ran my list similarly thinking the same thing, but after much testing found it to be too inconsistent and Lapras helps cover those inconsistencies. You are only running 10 energy, which is even less likely that your Elixers will hit.

I disagree with most of the other things you said as well, VS Seeker does not always need to be a 4, Misty's being sub-par in your opinion - I originally thought this too, but just tried it out for lolz and it worked so well, I believe its bad practice to condemn cards before you have given then a try, space being a issue, I think you play too many balls - sometimes I feel I play too many but can't go any lower than this, etc... but to each his own, your play-style might be completely different to mine and incompatible with the way that I build.