Expanded Sableye/Garbodor for Dallas Regionals 2017-2018

[InfinityFyre]

Hello!

I'm going to be attending my first Regionals in Dallas in January. I'm a relatively new player, but I have a fairly good grasp on the game and wanted to run a Sableye deck list past you guys. I know that it's widely considered the most skill-intensive deck in the format, and that for one's first large event, it might prove too hard to pilot optimally. However, I feel like I have a very good grasp of the deck and it's matchups and I placed very well in a number of events with quad sylveon, so I'm pretty confident I can pilot a stall deck pretty well. But I digress...

Sableye/Garbodor List

Pokemon: 14

Sableye x4
Shaymin EX x1
Tapu Lele GX x1
Latias EX x1
Trubbish x3
Garbodor BKP x2 (It seems like a lot of recent lists only play one, but I feel like shutting off abilities is too important)
Garbodor GUR x2

Trainers: 40

Professor Sycamore x4
N x2
Team Flare Grunt x2
Team Rocket's Handiwork x1
Delinquent x1
Lysandre x1
Guzma x1
Gladion x1 (Awesome for getting Trick Shovel/Handiwork/Life Dew out of the prizes)
AZ x1
Ghetsis x1
Trick Shovel x1
Life Dew x1
VS Seeker x3
Trainer's Mail x3
Enhanced Hammer x1
Crushing Hammer x3
Puzzle of Time x3
Float Stone x2
Rescue Stretcher x1
Special Charge x1
Field Blower x1
Parallel City x1
Target whistle x1
Ultra Ball x3

Energy: 6

Blend Energy x4
Basic Darkness Energy x2

Any constructive criticism or comments are appreciated and encouraged! And if you think that it might be not the greatest play for someone'a first regional, please let me know!

Thanks!

 

[Merovingian]

My first regional as well. Ironically, I'm running a Sableye-Garb variant.

Here's my take on your build

POKEMON:

I use a 2 Shaymin/0 Lele line. I'm comfortable using that because of the draw power. IF 1/1 works for you, go for it.


TRIANERS:

Get rid of Lysandre, replace with Counter Catcher

Get rid of Handiwork, replace with Trick Shovel (I hate Handiwork. It's only good if you have a good enough handle on the board that you don't need any other supporter for that turn. In terms of supporter usage, it has the lowest priority of anything else in your deck)

Drop AZ, replace with Xerosic

Drop Stretcher, replace with 4th Trainer's Mail

Drop Special Charge, replace with Super Rod

Drop Target Whistle, replace with 4th Ultra Ball

I'm also not sold on Gladion. It's polarizing and depends on who you talk to. I think its a card that look good on paper but doesn't produce the results you're looking for. Honestly, I'd replace it with Teammates. That is unless it REALLY works for you, then keep it.

Also, I had Delinquent in for a while and it helps in SOME matchups, but I'm predicting a huge surge in Zoroark decks and Delinquent doesn't do much to it. IF you keep Gladion, then replace Delinquent with Teammates. If you already replaced Gladion for Teammates, then I'd sufggest either going 4th VS Seeker/4th Puzzle/2nd Enhanced Hammer/another Darkness or Blend energy.

ENERGY: I think there's going to be a bit of energy denial at Dallas in the form of Enhanced Hammer, I'd suggest either a 3/3 Darkness/Blend or a 4/2 Darkness/Blend. 4/2 works with Super Rod very well.

 

[InfinityFyre]

My first regional as well. Ironically, I'm running a Sableye-Garb variant.

Here's my take on your build

POKEMON:

I use a 2 Shaymin/0 Lele line. I'm comfortable using that because of the draw power. IF 1/1 works for you, go for it.


TRIANERS:

Get rid of Lysandre, replace with Counter Catcher

Get rid of Handiwork, replace with Trick Shovel (I hate Handiwork. It's only good if you have a good enough handle on the board that you don't need any other supporter for that turn. In terms of supporter usage, it has the lowest priority of anything else in your deck)

Drop AZ, replace with Xerosic

Drop Stretcher, replace with 4th Trainer's Mail

Drop Special Charge, replace with Super Rod

Drop Target Whistle, replace with 4th Ultra Ball

I'm also not sold on Gladion. It's polarizing and depends on who you talk to. I think its a card that look good on paper but doesn't produce the results you're looking for. Honestly, I'd replace it with Teammates. That is unless it REALLY works for you, then keep it.

Also, I had Delinquent in for a while and it helps in SOME matchups, but I'm predicting a huge surge in Zoroark decks and Delinquent doesn't do much to it. IF you keep Gladion, then replace Delinquent with Teammates. If you already replaced Gladion for Teammates, then I'd sufggest either going 4th VS Seeker/4th Puzzle/2nd Enhanced Hammer/another Darkness or Blend energy.

ENERGY: I think there's going to be a bit of energy denial at Dallas in the form of Enhanced Hammer, I'd suggest either a 3/3 Darkness/Blend or a 4/2 Darkness/Blend. 4/2 works with Super Rod very well.

Thanks for your input!

#1 I was playing 2 Shaymins and 1 Lele for a bit, but bench space is fairly tight in this eco as you generally want to have as many Sableye as possible waiting on the bench. Lele'a ability is too good to pass up, and I rarely found my self needing the second Shaymin, so I'll stick with a 1/1 for now.

#2 Xerosic was in there for a while before I realized it was useless. You already play E Hammer so that takes care of special Energy without taking up your Supporter for the turn. Same case with field Blower.

#3 I'll definitely consider this, as I'm not sold on the Stretcher. That being said, it has been nice to shuffle the three Pokemon back into your deck.

#4 I don't feel like Energy denial is a problem at all for this Deck, so the special charge and 4 count of blends will stay. If they E Hammer you, you can just puzzle the energy back into your hand. Also, I need the four Blend Energy so Trashalanche Garb can attack. If you only run 2, you will whiff way too frequently.

#5 Yeah, never used it really, so I'll probably just ace it...

#6 I feel like Delinquent is way to strong of a card to pass up. If they ever play their hand down to less than 3 cards, putting them into top-deck mode is just way too good. Also, is you know they are holding onto a variety of crucial resources , then Delinquent can really help swing games.

#7 I've been considering counter catcher, but I haven't actually tried it out. I'll be sure to do that!

#8 I know, Team Rocket's Handiwork is definitely not 100% optimal because of the coin flips. That being said, it's your only method of milling outside of trick Shovel and often greatly speeds up games. Also, I don't really feel like Teammates has a place in this deck as you always want to be playing TFG , Ghetsis, Delinquent, or Lysandre/Guzma for your supporter for your turn. Also, puzzle of time essentially gives you a 'teammates' each turn, so it's use in my opinion is pretty much migitated.

 

[Merovingian]

Thanks for your input!

No problem. Let's get to it.

#1 I was playing 2 Shaymins and 1 Lele for a bit, but bench space is fairly tight in this eco as you generally want to have as many Sableye as possible waiting on the bench. Lele'a ability is too good to pass up, and I rarely found my self needing the second Shaymin, so I'll stick with a 1/1 for now.

I run the second Shaymin mainly so it doesn't get prized. Personally, I've had a very small handful of games where Lele would have been more useful. I felt it was a negligible amount. Either way works.

#2 Xerosic was in there for a while before I realized it was useless. You already play E Hammer so that takes care of special Energy without taking up your Supporter for the turn. Same case with field Blower.

Honestly, I find Xerosic so be great and not really for what it does, but for what cards it covers for. In my build, I have Xerosic, Field Blower, and Enhanced Hammer. If one of those gets prized, the other two are still able to provide coverage. I'm running a bit of a weirder build and it works there, so take it with a grain of salt. But for a build like this, I can see where it wouldn't be AS useful. Admittedly, when I first started working with Sableye-Garb, I didn't use Xerosic a ton. IT was mainly for energy removal or knocking off Float Stones. Didn't happen often, but I was glad it was an option

#3 I'll definitely consider this, as I'm not sold on the Stretcher. That being said, it has been nice to shuffle the three Pokemon back into your deck.

It can be nice, but from what I gather, you really want the 4 Blends, so Super Rod may not be as useful. Also consider a 4th Puzzle.

#4 I don't feel like Energy denial is a problem at all for this Deck, so the special charge and 4 count of blends will stay. If they E Hammer you, you can just puzzle the energy back into your hand. Also, I need the four Blend Energy so Trashalanche Garb can attack. If you only run 2, you will whiff way too frequently.

True, you can Puzzle back some energies, but getting an energy back plus something else sets you back in tempo where you would have otherwise got back two forms of disruption. It's a slight slowdown, but you'll have to make up for the speed elsewhere. Completely dependent on hand and board state.

#5 Yeah, never used it really, so I'll probably just ace it...

I figure that in most cases, it's better to add another card of what you really don't want prized. Doesn't help much with the ace spec, but can help with 1-of supporters

#6 I feel like Delinquent is way to strong of a card to pass up. If they ever play their hand down to less than 3 cards, putting them into top-deck mode is just way too good. Also, is you know they are holding onto a variety of crucial resources , then Delinquent can really help swing games.

Oh I know. Delinquent is a strong card. However, it's only good against decks that are aggressive with their stadiums and completely timing dependent. It definitely helps against Garb-Necrozma Toolbox, but it completely sucks against anything Zoroark. Gardevoir doesn't do much with its stadiums. Darkrai...sort of? But they usually have a decent hand and they are pretty liberal with their resources. Hurts Night March. Not sure about Golisopod (haven't tested against them yet). Having access to Delinquent isn't always easy. Depends on matchup. Depends on if they have a stadium, because your one Parallel City isn't going to cut it for Delinquent usage.

All I'm saying is: It's useful when it's useful. But when you continue testing, do a tally of how many games you actually use Delinquent. If it comes up often for you, keep it.

I just think, at this point, it's too matchup and opportunity dependent to warrant a spot for a card that comes up as dead as it does for me. That and we're going to be at a regional with a ton of Zoroark and Delinquent is dead against them.

I just don't think it'd going to help out in many matches in Dallas

#7 I've been considering counter catcher, but I haven't actually tried it out. I'll be sure to do that!

Counter Catcher is amazing. Lysandre as an item AND you can use your supporter for the turn. Worth the spot.

#8 I know, Team Rocket's Handiwork is definitely not 100% optimal because of the coin flips. That being said, it's your only method of milling outside of trick Shovel and often greatly speeds up games. Also, I don't really feel like Teammates has a place in this deck as you always want to be playing TFG , Ghetsis, Delinquent, or Lysandre/Guzma for your supporter for your turn. Also, puzzle of time essentially gives you a 'teammates' each turn, so it's use in my opinion is pretty much migitated.

It CAN speed up games. I've been finding it more useful to put them into topdeck-mode and control their draws with Shovel instead of using Handiwork and haphazardly discarding whatever.

Teammates is fantastic in early game when you DON'T have both Puzzles in play...or just have 1 in hand. They KO a Sableye, you get your puzzles (or Puzzle and something else if you have 1 in hand), you get whatever you want out of the discard pile. It has the potential to jump you right back in the game. Especially since Sableye-Garb is most vulnerable in the early game. IT gets you exactly what you need without having to dig and, potentially draw dead, any further in your deck.
It also serves as a way to get Latias EX for Trevenant.

 

[gumball51321]

Hey, you're list looks really solid. Definitely keep the Handiwork. It's really important in a best of 3 scenario for being aggresive in the late game. Have you considered Battle Compressor over Trainers' Mail? I know that Trainers' Mail is meta for this deck, but Battle Compressor lets you discard key pieces for certain matchups, and Puzzles if they get N'd back into the deck. Sable Garb is the only deck I would play Lysandre over Guzma because you don't want to switch Sableye out of the active with your only 2 Float Stone your only way to bring it back out if you don't have 2 or more on the field. Drop the Guzma or a Lysandre for a Counter Catcher. You're always going to be behind on prizes, and it doesn't use up your supporter.