ReshiBoar EX
Burning up the opposition
Burning up the opposition
ReshiBoar EX consists of Reshiram EX, Emboar, and Fliptini. How it works is that you use Reshiram EX as your main attacker, inflicting a massive 150 damage a turn, and tanking return attacks with a gigantic 180 health. Emboar helps you easily charge up Reshiram EX, making it easier to recharge and makes it possible to even attack on the second turn. Then you have Fliptini, which is the helping hand for Reshiram EX. It makes it so that if you happen to flip tails on Brave Fire, you can happily flip again, and hope for a heads.
Main Strategy
As I have just explained, the main strategy for Reshiboar EX is to tank with Reshiram EX, using Victini to help have rebound damage be less likely and Emboar to help put energies on the field faster. You should be able to commonly get a turn two Emboar, and a turn two decimating 150 damage. You basically just keep attacking with Reshiram EX, trying to deny your opponent of ever being able to have an attacker survive more than a turn (or two, in the case of EX's). Now you may say to this “Any pokemon that 2HKO Reshiram EX could still stay even in the prize exchange, or even get ahead." And, without the card I am about to mention next, this deck would not be very good at all, for the reason just mentioned. This card is Super Scoop Up. Flippy, unreliable Super Scoop Up, and it is one of the most important cards in the deck. Along with Emboar, you can pick up a damaged Reshiram EX, bring up one on the bench, and attach those 4 energy you picked up off the other Reshiram. Voila, you have a brand new pristine Reshiram EX, ready to keep destroying the opponents pokemon. Now you may also think “Mewtwo destroys this deck. Reshiram always has 4 energy attached." And the way we counter Mewtwo is, well, Mewtwo. Mewtwo will solve all of Mewtwo's problems, with just a simple DCE and an energy. With these helping cards, the massive health of Reshiram, and its amazing damage output, Reshiboar really is a deck to fear.
My Personal List
Pokemon (13):
3 Reshiram EX
3-1-2 Emboar
2 Mewtwo EX
1 Cleffa
1 Victini
Energy (12):
4 Double Colorless Energy
8 Fire
Trainers (35):
4 Pokemon Collector
4 Junk Arm
4 Professor Oak's New Theory
3 Rare Candy
3 Super Scoop Up
3 Heavy Ball
3 Switch
2 Professor Juniper
2 Cilan
2 Eviolite
1 Fisherman
1 Super Rod
1 Pokemon Communication
1 Pokegear
1 Catcher
Card Explanations
Mewtwo EX
This is your Mewtwo EX counter. Mewtwo EX can really devastate you, especially after the attack of a Tornadus or Zekrom, or whatever other attacker Mewtwo EX is paired with. With your own Mewtwo EX, you can immediately return the KO with your own Mewtwo. If that gets KO'd by a second of your opponents Mewtwo, you can just bring up Reshiram EX and attack it with Shining Claw, so you only need to have 3 energy on Reshiram. Next turn you can easily take the KO with Brave Fire, but just make sure to save a Catcher or Junk Arm for if they retreat it.
Victini
This is the helping hand of Reshiram EX, Victini. Victini is used to highly reduce the chance of backfire damage from Reshiram EX. If Reshiram EX flips tails without Victini, it would put it in OHKO range of Zekrom EX and Reshiram EX, and Mewtwo with a DCE, Reshiram, and Zekrom with a Pluspower. An OHKO against Reshiram can be the difference between a win and a loss, with the 2 prize rule of EX's. Another thing that can help with this is Eviolite, which I will go into more detail about later.
Super Scoop Up
As I explained before, this is the card that wins you most, if not all, of your games. You can go from a severely damaged, easily KO'able Reshiram to a full health Reshiram with just the toss of a die. You can use this after an attack from an EX, immediately swinging the prize trade into your favor by one, or even two prizes. It can also be used as a makeshift Switch if you really need it.
Heavy Ball
This card gets every single card in your deck except for Victini, Mewtwo and Tepig. It is one of my favorite cards from Next Destinies, and it is amazingly consistent, especially in a deck like this with only 10-14 pokemon, and they can't be spared to be Communicationed away. I love it, and I would never play less than three in here.
Cilan
This card can get you the energy you need, when you need it. It's basically just a better version of Interviewer's Question, except that it can't get Special energies. What it does is it lets you search your deck for up to three basic energy cards and add them to your hand. Cilan is very helpful for getting the turn two Brave Fire, and for when you need to charge up a new Reshiram EX but don't have the energy.
Eviolite
This card, along with Victini and Super Scoop Up, keeps your Reshiram's from being KO'd. If you happen to flip double tails on Victini, Eviolite is there to keep you safe from KO's from Reshiram EX or Zekrom EX. This is the card that mostly decides the mirror matchup.
Fisherman
This is to get energy back from the discard pile, and it's even better than Cilan if you already have the 4 in your discard. It's basically a better Cilan, but only once you have 4 Fire energy in your discard.
Changes and Additions
A third EmboarThis can be very useful, as with all the Magnezone, Zekrom EX and Reshiram EX running around your Emboars can be gone before you know it, especially if you can't find your Super Rod. This can also be helpful for if an Emboar is prized, you can still set up a backup one on the bench.
A second Victini
If you find yourself needing Victini a lot, or it's getting prized too much for comfort, a second one is definitely not a bad thing to do. It can also be useful if yours gets KOd and you don't have Super Rod or a Junk Arm handy.
More Fire Energy
If you find yourself losing your Fire Energy to fast to keep up, this can be a helpful addition. It can also be helpful if you don't find yourself drawing into it enough
A fourth Super Scoop Up
Very useful if you need to use your Junk Arms for other things. It also makes it easier to draw into a SSU when you need it, which can be very important and game changing. I have already talked about how good SSU is in this, and a fourth definitely can't hurt
+X Juniper/N/Twins/Sage's/Cheren
If you find yourself needing more hand refresh or draw power, these guys are the way to go. Because there is so much search cards in here, I have found that not too many of these are necessary, but you may find that you want them.
A third Cilan
This is very good if you find yourself needing more energy when you don't have it. It can instantly charge a Reshiram EX if you already have an energy in hand, and even if you don't (you should), you can still charge up a Mewtwo or use Reshiram's first attack.
A third Eviolite
Again, this is another card you should add if your not drawing into them or they keep getting prized way to often. It's only really used against Reshiram EX or Zekrom EX though (most decks with regular Zekrom or Reshiram don't play Pluspower anymore), so I wouldn't instantly jump to adding another.
A second Pokemon Communication
Nice to have if you find yourself needing to Communication for basics way to much than you should. If you just need more search, Heavy Ball would be the better addition, but it is mostly just up to personal preference and playstyle.
More Catcher
This card is amazing when you can blast 150 damage anywhere on the field. You basically destroy anything on the field that's not an EX, and it is also very helpful to KO a benched Mewtwo that your opponent may have retreated. Even only one more can make a huge difference. This is the change that I am personally considering the most.
Matchups
EelZone - FavorableYou can KO the Magnezones very easily, getting rid of their main way to kill of your Reshirams. KO their Zekrom EXs using Glinting Claw, then SSU, then Brave Fire. Use your Mewtwo for their Mewtwo, but if they have a second Mewtwo (or get theirs back with Super Rod) you can be in a bit of trouble, especially if you can't find your other Mewtwo and they haven't used their Zekrom EX(s) yet.
CaKE - Slightly Favorable
You can get rid of their energy to fast for them to catch up because you can KO them once a turn. Your problem is Cobalion. With the combination of Catchering up Emboars and locking up Reshiram's, your going to be needing to really conserve your switches. Consider even attacking with Emboar if it is Catcher'd up, it can net you at least one prize, even more if they are unprepared.
ZekEel - Even/Slightly Favorable
Use mostly the same strategy as EelZone. If they are smart, they will attack with regular Zekroms and keep their Zekrom EX(s) and Mewtwos for later in the game. Make sure you conserve both your Mewtwos and your Super Scoop Ups and Eviolites, for use when they bring out the big guns.
6 Corners - Very Favorable (without Kyurem EX), Favorable (with)
None of their pokemon except for Mewtwo can survive a hit from Reshiram, so just close in on all the pokemon they attach energy to, never letting them power anything up. If they play Kyurem EX it can get a teensy bit trickier, but just don't let them fully power it up by KO'ing their pokemon with energy. If they do fully power it up, your in a tight spot. Take it down with a Mewtwo (use Fire instead of DCE), and Catcher it up if they retreat it. Hopefully they wont have a Shaymin left to get 3 energy (or 2 and a Pluspower) on to a Mewtwo to take yours down.
ZPST - Slightly Unfavorable/Even
It depends a lot on if they get the first turn Bolt Strike. If they do, there is a chance that they can pressure you too much to get an Emboar and a fully charged Reshiram out. You have a good chance if you can take down their Zekrom early, as they have a hard time recovering from that. Take down their Mewtwos with your own.
TyRam - Very Favorable
This deck is a piece of cake. They need at least two Typhlosion to fully power their Reshirams, and you can just take them down with Reshiram EX. You OHKO their Reshiram while they struggle to get the Typhlosions they need to 2HKO you. Take down their Mewtwos with yours. If they run Reshiram EX, you will easily beat them, you run SSU, they don't.
ChandyPlume - Slightly Unfavorable
Their Lampents are worse than their Chandelures... They can drag up your Emboars, forcing you to waste massive amounts of resources to attack with it and then retreat it, only for it to be brought up again the next turn if they have another Lampent. If you don't evolve Emboar and manually charge up Reshiram, they can drag up other things on your bench, and they can charge up a Chandelure to make it harder for you to attack.
Durant - Very Favorable
Step 1: Charge up an Emboar
Step 2: Charge up a second Emboar in case there are any Cobalion shenanigans.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit
MTC - Slightly Favorable (If you deal with Shaymin EX correctly)
This deck, like ZPST, can also be trouble if they get the turn 1 Hurricane. Thankfully, it is much easier as Hurricane only 3HKOs Reshiram, and doesn't KO Pignite. Use your Mewtwos for theirs. WATCH OUT FOR SHAYMIN EX. This paired with a late timed N could equal a game lost. If you ever get to only one prize left, you have already lost if they have two or less left. It's better to plainly not take a prize than to take a prize that puts you at 1 Prize left. If they do not have two or less prizes left, but you have only one left, always keep something charged. You can even just charge up Emboar, that can KO Shaymin. If you don't do this, they can easily N you into an unusable 1 card hand and take a massive 3-4 prizes just with Shaymin
The Truth - Slightly Unfavorable/Unfavorable
If you don't take at least 2 prizes before they get the lock going, you lose. You can take 4 prizes with Mewtwos, but after the lock is on, you would have no way to take the last 1-2. The good thing is that you can annoy them with high health, and there is a good chance you can win off of time. If that's how your aiming to win, don't use your Mewtwo's (unless you are down in prizes and would lose off time) as they can snag quick prizes off of them.
Techs
Rayquaza and Deoxys LegendThis card is THE best Mewtwo tech out there. 3 prizes for one attack? Yes. Please. It's also very good against Magnezone or any other attackers that RDL can KO. Try to only play it down when there is a good chance your opponent can't immediately return the KO. I personally find this tech to take up WAY to much room (More Communication or Twins to search it out, Electric energy, energy retrieval cards), but if you can fit it in, it's amazing.
Pichu
Good if you find Collector not good enough to cope with MTC or ZPST, switching at least 2 Collector with Dual Ball and adding Pichu can definitely help with that.
Magnezone Prime
You already run Rare Candy, so a 2-1-2 line definitely isn't the worst idea out there. You would need to add at least 2-3 Electric energy though, but on the upside it does have built in draw power, and I don't even think you would need any Mewtwo counters if you had this.
Reshiram
I don't think that this is the best tech out there, but some people like it. It could be easily splashable, but on top of needing to add at least one to two more Fire energy, you would need energy recovery cards such as Energy Retrieval or Fisherman. Too much space for not the best tech, in my opinion.
Rocky Helmet
This card is a second Mewtwo EX counter. With this, instead of using your own Mewtwo (which would probably get immediately KO'd by yet another Mewtwo if they have any left), you can attach Rocky Helmet and effectively make it so that you can OHKO Mewtwo after it attacks you once. Just make sure you keep it in circulation for as long as possible with Super Scoop Up and Junk Arm, so you are always prepared. When facing any deck with Mewtwo but no Zekrom EX or Reshiram EX, you should use this, but if there is one of those, your Mewtwos are a better bet, so that you can still use Eviolite for if you flip tails.
Smoochum
This is a Truth tech. If you use Mewtwo to KO their active the turn after it gets fully charged, you can send in Smoochum to never let them get enough energy on it to attack or retreat. You could also just use Aipom, but then it would only work if they sent up a pokemon with 3 retreat or higher.
Energy Returner
VERY handy if you find yourself using up your energy to fast. Better then Energy Retrieval because it gets twice as much, and you don't really need it in your hand. You can also use Fisherman instead, as that is better in the ChandyPlume matchup, but it is a supporter.
Conclusion
ReshiBoar EX is definitely a contender, and a deck to test against, and even think about playing. It has very good matchups all around, having only slightly unfavorable matchups to a few decks, but very good matchups to most of the tier 1 and tier 2 decks. I urge you to try this deck out, and fit it to your playstyle, and find which techs you want to maybe try out. Thanks for reading this article, and I hope that you learned a lot about ReshiBoar EX!
