Returning Player - Good Deck Options and Tips

[NightOfYuyuko]

hiya! with worlds finished and a new format starting soon i decided that i wanna make my return into competitive TCG. i used to be active around hgss - early xy

the only thing i know is that shaymin ex is a must so if anyone could give advice on what decks might be good etc. then that would be really awesome x3

 

[Otaku]

1) Check existing threads.

Not entirely a joke; probably because of Pokémon Go, there are multiple threads for returning players right now. People asking almost the exact same thing as you, and thus you can get a lot of answers right away!

2) Are you focusing on Standard or Expanded play? How about the PTCGO, in which case there is Theme Deck (yay?) and Legacy Format play to consider as well?

 

[NightOfYuyuko]

1) Check existing threads.

Not entirely a joke; probably because of Pokémon Go, there are multiple threads for returning players right now. People asking almost the exact same thing as you, and thus you can get a lot of answers right away!

2) Are you focusing on Standard or Expanded play? How about the PTCGO, in which case there is Theme Deck (yay?) and Legacy Format play to consider as well?

1) i actually don't play pokemon go XD. i did check some similar posts but i still felt the need to make my own thread

2) standard

edit: i have no clue whether expanded is optional or not because every video i see from the actual tournaments are expanded so :/

 

[Otaku]

@NightOfYuyuko

Okay, so we are heading into a new format, which means exactly what decks will be good is open to debate. A lot of us expect Garbodor... oh, I should probably explain that. Garbodor (XY: BREAKpoint 57/122) also has the Garbotoxin Ability you should remember from its predecessor. Without a good way of discarding Pokémon Tools, this could lead to a metagame split between Ability, Ability lock, and the handful of decks that aren't bothering with either. Greninja BREAK decks lose a little from rotation, but probably keep enough to keep going on.

Personally I recommend easing back into the game; focus on Pre-Releases and League. I say this because it will help you avoid over committing to anything, as reduce the risk of burnout. I've had friends try to get back into the game, going full tilt, and they ended up crashing and burning because they tried to instantly become competitive their first season back. This way you'll reduce your stress from the game, letting you actually enjoy it, and if you don't then you haven't dumped a few hundred dollars into a hobby that you're going to abandon again right away.

Oh, and the Championship Series of tournaments (the ones that end with Worlds) use both Expanded and Standard; single day events use one or the other (sometime mandate from above, sometimes at the organizer's discretion), while I believe two day events have the option of splitting (Day 1 Standard, Day 2 Expanded).

 

[NightOfYuyuko]

@NightOfYuyuko

Okay, so we are heading into a new format, which means exactly what decks will be good is open to debate. A lot of us expect Garbodor... oh, I should probably explain that. Garbodor (XY: BREAKpoint 57/122) also has the Garbotoxin Ability you should remember from its predecessor. Without a good way of discarding Pokémon Tools, this could lead to a metagame split between Ability, Ability lock, and the handful of decks that aren't bothering with either. Greninja BREAK decks lose a little from rotation, but probably keep enough to keep going on.

Personally I recommend easing back into the game; focus on Pre-Releases and League. I say this because it will help you avoid over committing to anything, as reduce the risk of burnout. I've had friends try to get back into the game, going full tilt, and they ended up crashing and burning because they tried to instantly become competitive their first season back. This way you'll reduce your stress from the game, letting you actually enjoy it, and if you don't then you haven't dumped a few hundred dollars into a hobby that you're going to abandon again right away.

Oh, and the Championship Series of tournaments (the ones that end with Worlds) use both Expanded and Standard; single day events use one or the other (sometime mandate from above, sometimes at the organizer's discretion), while I believe two day events have the option of splitting (Day 1 Standard, Day 2 Expanded).

Oh when does Garbodors terror end XD. anyway i already wanted to go slow this season and not fully commit to top tier decks as i've seen similar things (aka people going full competitive and leaving after a week or 3).
Awesome to know that both formats are used XD i still have a lot of the old bw cards so i might give expanded a spin once i actually start playing again.

Thanks a lot for the help x3 i really appreciate it.

 

[Otaku]

i still have a lot of the old bw cards...

That reminds me, did you bother with the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online back in the day? It is still up and running, so if you did see if your account information and collection is intact; not only can you play Expanded and Standard there, but they have a third option: Legacy. Legacy is the HS-series of sets (plus Call of Legends) and promos, plus the BW-series of sets and promos. I actually would like to see it added to the physical TCG as well, but it exists on the PTCGO because when it was first being created, the HS-era sets were current. So I think the players (and maybe even the designers) hate seeing the older stuff just sit there doing nothing.

 

[TuxedoBlack]

...the only thing i know is that shaymin ex is a must so if anyone could give advice on what decks might be good etc.

Hi @NightOfYuyuko

Welcome back to Pokemon TCG. At this point, "top" decks receiving a lot of pre-new season hype, at least in my area, are:

• Darkrai EX - Garbodor
• Darkrai EX - Yveltal EX
• Darkrai EX variants
• Mega Alakazam EX
• Mega Mewtwo EX - Garbodor
• Mega Rayquaza EX
• Mega Sceptile EX
• Primal Groudon EX - Carbink
• Primal Kyogre EX
• Volcanion EX
• Xerneas variants
• Zygarde EX variants

I'd suggest perusing the Deck Garage Forum to get examples of some or all of these decks. Whatever deck(s) might interest you, I would then recommend building a draft and then submit your deck draft(s) into the Deck Garage for some suggestions on how to perhaps improve your deck(s).

 

[NightOfYuyuko]

That reminds me, did you bother with the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online back in the day? It is still up and running, so if you did see if your account information and collection is intact; not only can you play Expanded and Standard there, but they have a third option: Legacy. Legacy is the HS-series of sets (plus Call of Legends) and promos, plus the BW-series of sets and promos. I actually would like to see it added to the physical TCG as well, but it exists on the PTCGO because when it was first being created, the HS-era sets were current. So I think the players (and maybe even the designers) hate seeing the older stuff just sit there doing nothing.

I do have an old account on there but i never did too much with it. (as i mainly bought singles)

Hi @NightOfYuyuko

Welcome back to Pokemon TCG. At this point, "top" decks receiving a lot of pre-new season hype, at least in my area, are:

• Darkrai EX - Garbodor
• Darkrai EX - Yveltal EX
• Darkrai EX variants
• Mega Alakazam EX
• Mega Mewtwo EX - Garbodor
• Mega Rayquaza EX
• Mega Sceptile EX
• Primal Groudon EX - Carbink
• Primal Kyogre EX
• Volcanion EX
• Xerneas variants
• Zygarde EX variants

I'd suggest perusing the Deck Garage Forum to get examples of some or all of these decks. Whatever deck(s) might interest you, I would then recommend building a draft and then submit your deck draft(s) into the Deck Garage for some suggestions on how to perhaps improve your deck(s).

Thank you for the comment x3. i've been testing decks on TCG one for a bit now and i've seen a lot of the mentioned decks as well.
Once i have a deck thats worthy of posting (i'm working on a Mega Audino ex deck thats actually doing well rn) i'll definetly do that