Standard Silvally-GX Anti-Meta Deck

[Skater_J]

I'm about to take a hiatus from the pokemon trading card game but I wanted to leave you with a deck I've been working on for a few months. The strategy of this deck is to take advantage of weakness with Silvally-GX + Memory Tool cards. Silvally also has the added benefit of free retreat for basic pokemon and energy acceleration from the discard, not to mention the amazing GX attack that can OHKO some tag team pokemon. Ninetales-GX has great synergy with Silvally as it offers fairy weakness and item search, as well as it's deadly GX attack against Ultra Beasts. Zoroark is another great pokemon in this deck as it offers dark weakness, basic energy discard and draw power. Alolan Vulpix GRI is amazing for pokemon search. Ditto prism is also great as we play a stage 1 heavy deck and it can evolve into which ever pokemon we need. This deck is a very flexible toolbox style deck. This deck can also can evolve as the meta shifts and it can stay relevant, hence the "Anti-Meta" name.

##Pokémon - 19

* 1 Ditto {*} LOT 154
* 3 Type: Null CIN 89
* 3 Silvally-GX CIN 108
* 2 Zorua PR-SM 83
* 2 Zoroark-GX PR-SM 84
* 1 Alolan Ninetales TEU 111
* 2 Alolan Ninetales-GX LOT 205
* 1 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60
* 1 Alolan Muk SUM 58
* 3 Alolan Vulpix GRI 21

##Trainer Cards - 30

* 1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 1 Pokémon Communication BLW 99
* 4 Ultra Ball ROS 93
* 1 Switch SLG 67
* 1 Weakness Policy PRC 142
* 1 Choice Band BUS 162
* 1 Grass Memory TEU 143
* 1 Fire Memory UPR 123
* 1 Water Memory TEU 157
* 2 Fighting Memory CIN 94
* 1 Erika’s Hospitality TEU 140
* 1 Mina LOT 183
* 3 Cynthia UPR 119
* 4 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Acerola BUS 142
* 1 Judge BKT 143
* 2 Lillie SUM 147
* 1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
* 1 Wondrous Labyrinth {*} TEU 158

##Energy - 11

* 7 Fairy Energy Energy 9
* 4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136 aka DCE

Trainer Techs: Mina, Wonderous Labyrinth, Weakness Policy, Choice band

Mina: This card paired with DCE can instantly power up a Silvally-GX or use it with regular fairy energy to power up Ninetales-GX or Zoroark-GX. Mina is not used very often so it is a great surprise to many opponents when you instantly power up a dormant pokemon.

Wondrous Labyrinth: This card is amazing when attacking with Ninetales-GX or baby Ninetales as it slows down so many attackers, especially single prize, one energy attackers.

Weakness Policy: This card is used against fighting decks to protect Zoroark and Silvally, or against metal decks to protect Ninetales-GX.

Choice Band: Usually this card is only used in 2 situations. When you're attacking with baby Ninetales against GX cards or when you're attacking with Ninetales-GX against Dragon GX cards (ex: Rayquaza, Ultra Necrozma, etc.). Otherwise you want to attack with Silvally-GX.

Pokemon Techs: Alolan Muk, Alolan Ninetales (non-GX)

Alolan Ninetales - this card on it's own can waste a lot of your opponents cards, it is great for a stall strategy and it can't be turned off by Alolan Muk, this card alone has won me the game in ZoroRoc match-ups. Note: It's terrible against non-GX decks.

Alolan Muk - this card is great to turn off Jirachi's ability in order to significantly slow down decks that rely on it. Other notable pokemon in Standard that it shuts down are: Marshadow-GX, Dawn wings Necrozma-GX, Zeraora-GX, Shuckle-GX, Shining legends Hoopa & Marshadow, SUM Oranguru, and Tapu Lele-GX.

Possible Rogue techs:

"Change Clothes" Magearna: Works well when you need to use Silvally-GX to hit for a different weakness
Energy Loto: use with item search to search for energy
Multi Switch: use with item search to move your DCE around
Diantha: Rescue items, DCE, Pokemon or Supporters from your discard pile
Xerneas prism: Grabs 3 fairy energy and hits like a truck! *Edit*

Weaknesses: Weavile (due to all our abilities), Fighting decks, Fairy decks, and Single prize decks

At this moment in the Standard meta there are many lightning decks but not a lot of fighting decks, that could all change quickly. If that happened this deck would be difficult to pilot because of it's fighting weakness.

I don't see a lot of fairy decks these days but if they rise up again this deck will need help to deal with them. Gardevoir-GX and Sylveon-GX are definite threats as we don't have a Metal memory card yet. "Tool Drop" Doublade from Team up may be the answer. We have many tool cards in this deck as well as Ditto prism and DCE, everything Doublade needs .

Single prize decks are difficult to navigate but Alolan Muk is almost always the answer. We also have 2 stadiums and field blower to knock off Shrine of Punishments. Acerola is the deck as a last ditch effort to heal pokemon and preserve DCE. That being said, it's still hard for this deck to hit above 120 without hitting for weakness. I almost forgot to mention that Ninetales-GX is a great option for attacking low HP pokemon decks like Lost March as it can take 2 knock-outs sometimes with it's Snowy wind attack.

Conclusion:

This deck has quickly turned into one of my favorites due to it's flexibility. I love Toolbox decks. I've also longed to make Silvally-GX work in a deck and have tried many different methods (ex: Quag, Vikavolt, Malamar). This has been my most successful build to date. It's not an indestructible deck by any means but it's fun and has got me a 13 win streak on PTCGO. I know 13 wins isn't that hard to achieve for a lot of you guys but this is the first deck that has got me that high. Cya all!

 

[izuef]

Don't you usually find it hard to battle aggressive decks (Blacephalon, Ray, Zekachu...)? I feel like the fact you're deck can't hit harder than 120 unless when it hits for weakness (what you can't do consistently, as you only have 1 water memory for example). Stall can also just heal off any damage you've done easily without the fear of getting oneshotted ever.

I like the deck and I do believe it can do well against the right match ups, I also believe you can't go toe to toe if the aggressive decks 'pop' and the stall decks stall. Maybe an oranguru to solve the stall match up?

 

[Skater_J]

@izuef
In my experience I find that this deck is 50/50 against the aggressive decks. I have steam rolled Pikarom, Blacephalon, Rayquaza, and Ultra Necrozma decks with this deck. The key is to hold onto the memory cards/Choice band until they don't see it coming then get 4(or 5) prizes in two turns with the Silvally-GX/Ninetales-GX combo. You can use Ninetales-GX + Choice band to take out the Dragon Pokemon, or Sublimation-GX for Ultrabeasts, then turn around and possibly hit for weakness with Silvally-GX. You can also use Rebel-GX one turn and then hit for weakness with either Silvally-GX or Ninetales-GX afterward. You can also stall with baby Ninetales for a little bit if you aren't setup fast enough. The Pikarom match-up is usually favorable as long as you get Silvally + Fighting memory online with Alolan Muk (and you don't use Lele).

Unfortunately, like most decks, if the aggressive deck pops off in the first 2 turns you are done for but I love how this deck has the ability to counter and make comebacks.

Oranguru is always good idea for a possible tech. I might have to try it the next time stall becomes more popular.

 

[Lord Goomy]

Personally, I like going for 2 Memories a piece, so if you lose them early game due to, oh, I don’t know, the occasional Field Blower, you have another one to ride on. That qualifies for Choice Band too. Remember, there’s no Eco Arm in Standard, so conservation is key.

 

[Skater_J]

@Lord Goomy

I completely agree, I would love to have more memories in the deck but I kept them to the bare minimum for 2 reasons:

1. Deck space, in order to improve some of the match-ups in the current meta the deck needed to have certain techs available
2. Too many tools clog up the deck. Although extra tool cards make great fodder for Zoroark's Trade but getting terrible opening hands is always a fear.

Part of the strategy of the deck is to hold out on evolving Ninetales-GX as long as possible until you absolutely need the memory cards. In most match ups I don't plan on keeping the memory cards on, I just plan on keeping them hidden until I can achieve a surprise knock out. It's quite the combo sometimes: Ultraball -> Ninetales-GX -> Mysterious Guidance -> Pokemon Communication + Memory card -> Pokemon communication for Silvally-GX -> Evlove into Silvally-GX -> Attach memory -> Retreat active basic -> Attach DCE -> Use Mina (or already have a single energy attached to type null) -> Use Turbo drive to knock out Pikarom, attach energy to back-up attacker, and take 3 prizes . It's rare that the deck needs a second memory card. Field blower counts are also super low right now so this deck takes full advantage of that as well.

Oh yes and someone on HeyFonte reminded me that I forgot to include Xerneas Prism. I had never used it in the deck but I did have a plan to.

 

[Lord Goomy]

@Lord Goomy

I completely agree, I would love to have more memories in the deck but I kept them to the bare minimum for 2 reasons:

1. Deck space, in order to improve some of the match-ups in the current meta the deck needed to have certain techs available
2. Too many tools clog up the deck. Although extra tool cards make great fodder for Zoroark's Trade but getting terrible opening hands is always a fear.

Part of the strategy of the deck is to hold out on evolving Ninetales-GX as long as possible until you absolutely need the memory cards. In most match ups I don't plan on keeping the memory cards on, I just plan on keeping them hidden until I can achieve a surprise knock out. It's quite the combo sometimes: Ultraball -> Ninetales-GX -> Mysterious Guidance -> Pokemon Communication + Memory card -> Pokemon communication for Silvally-GX -> Evlove into Silvally-GX -> Attach memory -> Retreat active basic -> Attach DCE -> Use Mina (or already have a single energy attached to type null) -> Use Turbo drive to knock out Pikarom, attach energy to back-up attacker, and take 3 prizes . It's rare that the deck needs a second memory card. Field blower counts are also super low right now so this deck takes full advantage of that as well.

Oh yes and someone on HeyFonte reminded me that I forgot to include Xerneas Prism. I had never used it in the deck but I did have a plan to.

Xerneas <> sounds like a great idea. BUT, if you have Xerneas Prism, you can cut ALL the Ninetales and Vulpix for Adventure Bag, Memories, and/or whatever. But the deal is, you’re now hitting 320 against Rayquaza. You no longer need Ninetales with a Choice Band. You could swap them out for Adventure Bag and anything else you feel like throwing in.
Key word being “could,” because I don’t argue for or against these changes, I’m simply presenting them.

 

[Skater_J]

@Lord Goomy Thanks for presenting your ideas, I definitely enjoy continuing the conversation

I was curious about using Xerneas prism so I decided to try it last night (one last try before my break), I didn’t actually need it in any of the matches I played.
First match was against Weavile/Honchcrow and I got destroyed. Still haven’t found a good way to play the match, maybe just attack with Type Null.
Second match was against Lost March, used Ninetales-GX to take a couple double knock-outs and Wondrous Labyrinth was key as well, even though my opponent had 12 Pokémon in the lost zone I was able to win without my opponent taking any prizes. Thank goodness for the high Guzma count.
The Third match was against Pikarom. My opponent made the mistake of going all in on a single Pikarom (6 energies). I was able to Turbo drive with Fighting memory for knockout while establishing muk lock at the same time, they conceded the match.

I did think about Adventure bag but there just wasn’t enough space. Ninetales-GX + Vulpix are just too important to the decks synergy to cut them. Pokémon search to find a Ninetales (then search for 2 items) is definitely much easier than digging for adventure bags. Ninetales-GX also gets you important pieces like a rescue stretcher, field blower, Pokémon communication or switch. Vulpix is also amazing for Stage 1 decks as it gets you your evolutions very quickly (or a much needed Lele). Vulpix is also great because of the zero energy cost and the easy retreat (due to Silvally’s ability). Also keep in mind that baby Ninetales is super important for the ZoroRoc match-up.

 

[Rentora]

Hello Skater_J, I'll admit i like your list, i just made it IRL, could you tell us about the other match ups you had since your last post ? Also, if you've made any changes and how well the deck worked out.

 

[Skater_J]

@Rentora I'm glad you like the list! I just tried Xerneas prism instead of Acerola but didn't really get much use out of it. I'm sure it would be good in a lot of single prize Attacker match-ups but I didn't get a chance to let it shine so I didn't make the switch permanent.

With the list above I've faced it all! (except Koko/Passimian and Magikarp & Waylord stall).

Match-ups:

Celebi & Venusaur: Use Wondrous Labyrinth, Muk lock to prevent healing, do some damage with any pokemon then finish it off with Silvally + Fire Memory or Rebel-GX. You could also use baby ninetales + choice band if they can't get a Shaymin prism online. Try to use just basic energy if you can as your DCE will get knocked off.

Jirachi/Zapdos: Use Wondrous Labyrinth, Muk lock, just turbo drive with Silvally no memories needed or use Ninetales-GX to take out Jirachis

Malamar/Girratina: Use Wondrous Labyrinth, Muk lock to keep Girratinas in the discard and use Ninetales-GX to take out Inkays and Malamars, Silvally works too, just don't attack Girratina unless you have to

Zapdos/Jolteon: Use Wondrous Labyrinth, Muk lock to prevent Jirachi, Tapu-Koko prism, and Tapu-Koko-GX from using their abilities, Silvally + Fighting Memory

Garados: Usually get a big L on this match-up unless you can outspeed your opponent. You could use Wondrous Labyrinth, Muk Lock + Ninetales-GX to target down the Magikarps. You could also add a Lighting memory to the deck but it's not really worth it due to the low amount of cards that are weak to lightning in this meta

Granbull: Use Muk lock, you have too!!! If you can't get muk online you'll get an L in this match-up as well because we don't have a pokemon that hits for metal weakness.

Charizard: Use Wondrous Labyrinth, Muk lock, Silvally + Water memory

Aerodactyl/Malamar : Take out Inkay/Malamars! Use Ninetales-GX. You could try adding a Lighting memory and using Silvally if this deck becomes too popular. You could always add Devoured field instead of Brooklet Hill and attack with Zoroark

Steelix Stall: Use Wondrous Labyrinth, Silvally + Fire memory. Try to use just basic energy if you can as your DCE will get knocked off.

The deck will always struggle against Weavile, and 130HP single prize attackers but Wondrous Labyrinth and Muk lock could swing some of those matches in your favor. Always target down Sneasels and low HP pokemon and you should have a fighting chance. The deck has the flexibility to beat almost any deck, you just have to change your strategy according to the match-up. I also like that this deck can go toe-to-toe with Team-up pokemon and usually take 3 prizes when only trading for 2.