Pokémon - 13
2 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
3 Zorua BKT 89
3 Zoroark BKT 91
1 Hoopa-EX AOR 89
4 Volcanion-EX STS 107
Trainer Cards - 37
4 Trainers' Mail ROS 92
4 Acro Bike PRC 122
1 Lysandre AOR 78
2 Scorched Earth PRC 138
4 Fisherman BKT 136
4 Max Elixir BKP 102
3 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99
3 Float Stone BKT 137
4 Ultra Ball ROS 93
3 Professor Sycamore PHF 101
1 Repeat Ball PRC 136
4 VS Seeker PHF 109
Energy - 10
10 Fire Energy XYEnergy 4
Strategy
The main goal of this deck is to be consistently hitting 200+ at the very first turn. Unlike most Volcanion decks Volcanion-EX is the main attacker and we don't pair it with the traditional support. There are some very clear weaknesses of the traditional Volcanion decks, mainly bench space and the retreat cost of Volcanion as well as being a bit slow, this looks to solve some of them.
The speed variant uses a variety of draw supporters to get a triple steam up volcanion going on the first turn. Max elixirs will get a volcanion ready on the first turn and one of the 3 float stone will help get it into the active once ready. In order to keep the pressure through out the game we run a 3-3 line of zoroark to negate the downside of volcanion-EXs attack with a stand in retreat. Zoroark also works as the non-EX attacker in this deck. 4 copies of fisherman along with the occasional vs seeker will make sure that you have plenty of energy for steam ups every turn, it seems like overkill but it doesn't hurt the consistency of the deck and I always want to have enough to steam up.
I considered using baby volcanion as the main attacker but frankly it doesn't have enough base damage. To 1 shot a fighting fury belted EX or Mega we need to hit at least 210, in order to hit 210 baby volcanion needs 4 steam up while Volcanion-ex only needs 3. Bench space is also a big issue as you will probably need bench space for a baby volcanion, 4 volcanion-ex and probably Hoopa-EX and Shaymin-EX. Obviously skyfield is a solution to this but it doesn't help consistency and it also doesn't solve Volcanions getting lysandred to stall. Bench space is also a factor in the speed variant. You will usually only have space for a single Shaymin-EX, 3 Volcanion-EX, Hoopa and Zoroark. If you start with anything other than Volcanion or Zorua you will probably not be able to use Hoopa, in this case repeat ball is clutch.
Clearly this deck is very ability reliant and Garbodor will cause a big problem. Good news is the main decks that will use Garbodor are Darktina and Mega Mewtwo, both of these decks we can out speed before Garbodor gets in play and there are ways to play around Garbodor. One of the easiest ways is to obviously Lysandre and 1 shot it, the other way is to float stone 2 Volcanion-EX and alternate their attacks. But I'm not gonna lie, playing around ability lock will be tough.
Other than ability lock Speed Volcanion has very good matchups and can out speed most of the big decks next format. It has a favourable match up with Mega Mewtwo as we are faster and can 1 shot it. Has a favourable matchup against Darktina for similar reasons. Greninja Break is actually a very favourable match up as we can 1 shot everything they throw at us including Talonflame for minimal steam ups. Mega Rayquaza is about a 50/50 but I would go as far to say that speed Volcanion has a very slight advantage due to heavy Zoroark.
So, that's the deck, I think its great but clearly I'm biased.
Any questions, comments, criticism, changes, tips or complements are welcome.
2 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
3 Zorua BKT 89
3 Zoroark BKT 91
1 Hoopa-EX AOR 89
4 Volcanion-EX STS 107
Trainer Cards - 37
4 Trainers' Mail ROS 92
4 Acro Bike PRC 122
1 Lysandre AOR 78
2 Scorched Earth PRC 138
4 Fisherman BKT 136
4 Max Elixir BKP 102
3 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99
3 Float Stone BKT 137
4 Ultra Ball ROS 93
3 Professor Sycamore PHF 101
1 Repeat Ball PRC 136
4 VS Seeker PHF 109
Energy - 10
10 Fire Energy XYEnergy 4
Strategy
The main goal of this deck is to be consistently hitting 200+ at the very first turn. Unlike most Volcanion decks Volcanion-EX is the main attacker and we don't pair it with the traditional support. There are some very clear weaknesses of the traditional Volcanion decks, mainly bench space and the retreat cost of Volcanion as well as being a bit slow, this looks to solve some of them.
The speed variant uses a variety of draw supporters to get a triple steam up volcanion going on the first turn. Max elixirs will get a volcanion ready on the first turn and one of the 3 float stone will help get it into the active once ready. In order to keep the pressure through out the game we run a 3-3 line of zoroark to negate the downside of volcanion-EXs attack with a stand in retreat. Zoroark also works as the non-EX attacker in this deck. 4 copies of fisherman along with the occasional vs seeker will make sure that you have plenty of energy for steam ups every turn, it seems like overkill but it doesn't hurt the consistency of the deck and I always want to have enough to steam up.
I considered using baby volcanion as the main attacker but frankly it doesn't have enough base damage. To 1 shot a fighting fury belted EX or Mega we need to hit at least 210, in order to hit 210 baby volcanion needs 4 steam up while Volcanion-ex only needs 3. Bench space is also a big issue as you will probably need bench space for a baby volcanion, 4 volcanion-ex and probably Hoopa-EX and Shaymin-EX. Obviously skyfield is a solution to this but it doesn't help consistency and it also doesn't solve Volcanions getting lysandred to stall. Bench space is also a factor in the speed variant. You will usually only have space for a single Shaymin-EX, 3 Volcanion-EX, Hoopa and Zoroark. If you start with anything other than Volcanion or Zorua you will probably not be able to use Hoopa, in this case repeat ball is clutch.
Clearly this deck is very ability reliant and Garbodor will cause a big problem. Good news is the main decks that will use Garbodor are Darktina and Mega Mewtwo, both of these decks we can out speed before Garbodor gets in play and there are ways to play around Garbodor. One of the easiest ways is to obviously Lysandre and 1 shot it, the other way is to float stone 2 Volcanion-EX and alternate their attacks. But I'm not gonna lie, playing around ability lock will be tough.
Other than ability lock Speed Volcanion has very good matchups and can out speed most of the big decks next format. It has a favourable match up with Mega Mewtwo as we are faster and can 1 shot it. Has a favourable matchup against Darktina for similar reasons. Greninja Break is actually a very favourable match up as we can 1 shot everything they throw at us including Talonflame for minimal steam ups. Mega Rayquaza is about a 50/50 but I would go as far to say that speed Volcanion has a very slight advantage due to heavy Zoroark.
So, that's the deck, I think its great but clearly I'm biased.
Any questions, comments, criticism, changes, tips or complements are welcome.
Last edited: