Pokemon:
Strategy:
Ok so, this is an attempt at a serious deck. It revolves around the use of Target Whistle because I thought filling up your opponent's bench can actually be a pretty powerful tool, by forcing them to have weak basic pokemon in play which makes both of my attackers deal more damage. Registeel can knock out low hp pokemon on the bench with Triple Laser, which can bypass whatever is sitting in the active and just keep hitting benched pokemon which can be revived with target whistle and killed again. Empoleon gets a more powerful attack with more benched pokemon, and can offer a little more straight-up damage than registeel, while also being a bit better against Mewtwo EXs due to single energy attack cost. Empoleon also has type advantage against fire types that steel types are weak to, especially pyroar.. I also added in Bronzong here, because he can accelerate Registeel's attacks whilst also having synergy with Empoleon who can discard Metal Energy with diving draw. I have still included an exeggcute in the deck because I may have multiple empoleon on the bench and not enough metal energy to discard to make the most of it (or perhaps don't want to discard metal energy for whatever reason).
Suicune is in the deck because I figured this deck succeeds best against stage 2 decks and decks that use a lot of low hp basic pokemon so registeel can knock out several at a time. What the deck will be bad against is full EX decks with lots of high hp basics, such as virizion genesect and friends. Suicune can at the very least help me stall these matches until I can set up a registeel EX with 4 energies or something like that.
For item cards, I am running steel shelter to help out my Registeel EX primarily and give it immunity from status. This just seems better than sparkling robe because every deck runs startling megaphone, but not every deck will run a large number of counter-stadiums. That means Registeel can make full use of its high hp and its secondary attack which reduces incoming damage.
3 target whistle is important to the deck, making both Registeel and Empoleon hit harder and have more impact. I'm not running any lysandre because the point of registeel is to hit these things straight on the bench without having to draw them out, potentially wiping several at the same time while completely bypassing something like a safeguard pokemon sitting in the active trying to prevent damage.
2 megaphone is important for garbodor, although I think the deck is not completely dismantled by it, just slowed down quite a bit. If its already up then the deck can operate with garbodor in play.
1 computer search for the ace spec, because its a good card for just grabbing whatever I need and I guess it would be helpful for getting a rare candy or switch or anything.
Supporters are a little thin because empoleon has some draw support, and 1 lysandre's last resort for personal preference. It might seem to work against the flow of the deck and I think that this is true if used incorrectly. But N can be used incorrectly also. It is just important to use it where you get more beenfit from your opponent. Not really sure how much energy this deck actually requires, but 8 metal energy and 5 water energy seemed like enough (both empoleon and suicune only need 1 water energy each, and the metal energy can hopefully be recycled repeatedly).
Feedback much appreciated, I feel like this is the most sensible deck I've probably made but I'm really not sure if Registeel and Empoleon offer offensive power if I can't abuse target whistle. Also I am a little worried about being short on water energy even though 5 is quite a lot for secondary attackers. As for problem decks, I would imagine Virizion Genesect would be an issue (although I have suicune, I can imagine that Virizion Genesect decks will have prepared for safeguarders and they both have water resistance meaning 4hkos... and bronzongs can get ohkod) and that's really the main deck that stands out as a bit problematic for me. Dragonite could perhaps be a problem since they can take the pokemon I am putting on their bench and shuffle them back into the deck, although Dragonite has less tools to deal with a suicune.
As for changes, I was considering whether a shiftry would be more powerful as a secondary attacker but shiftry just requires a lot more energy to use its leaf draw. However it would give me the power to achieve ohkos on EX pokemon... BUT then it wouldn't give me a free method of discarding metal energy for acceleration. I know there are other pokemon which could perhaps fit the Empoleons role with a more offensive playstyle but Empoleon seemed like the most reliable and stable.
Dusknoir is not really the stage 2 I am looking for here by the way. A secondary attacker is important because of pyroar.
3 Registeel EX
3-3 Bronzong
3-1-3 Empoleon
2 Suicune
1 Exeggcute
2 Startling Megaphone
3 Rare Candy
1 Switch
3 Ultra Ball
2 Steel Shelter
3 Target Whistle
1 Computer Search
4 N
3 Sycamore
3 Colress
2 Skyla
1 Lysandre's Last Resort
8 Metal
5 Water
Bronzong: Metal - HP90
Stage 1 - Evolves from Bronzor
Ability: Metal Chain
Once during your turn, you may choose 1 Metal Energy from your discard pile and attach it to 1 of your Benched Pokemon.
[M][M][C] Hammer In: 60 damage.
Weakness: Fire (x2)
Resistance: Psychic (-20)
Retreat: 3
________________________________
Target Whistle: Trainer
Item (Team Flare Gear)
Choose a Basic Pokemon from your opponent's discard pile and put that Pokemon on to your opponent's Bench.
________________________________
Steel Shelter: Trainer
Stadium
Remove all Special Conditions from [M] Pokemon in play. [M] Pokemon cannot be affected by Special Conditions.
________________________________
Lysandre's Last Resort: Trainer
Supporter
Both player shuffle all cards from their discard pile back into their deck (excluding any Lysandre's Last Resort).
Stage 1 - Evolves from Bronzor
Ability: Metal Chain
Once during your turn, you may choose 1 Metal Energy from your discard pile and attach it to 1 of your Benched Pokemon.
[M][M][C] Hammer In: 60 damage.
Weakness: Fire (x2)
Resistance: Psychic (-20)
Retreat: 3
________________________________
Target Whistle: Trainer
Item (Team Flare Gear)
Choose a Basic Pokemon from your opponent's discard pile and put that Pokemon on to your opponent's Bench.
________________________________
Steel Shelter: Trainer
Stadium
Remove all Special Conditions from [M] Pokemon in play. [M] Pokemon cannot be affected by Special Conditions.
________________________________
Lysandre's Last Resort: Trainer
Supporter
Both player shuffle all cards from their discard pile back into their deck (excluding any Lysandre's Last Resort).
Strategy:
Ok so, this is an attempt at a serious deck. It revolves around the use of Target Whistle because I thought filling up your opponent's bench can actually be a pretty powerful tool, by forcing them to have weak basic pokemon in play which makes both of my attackers deal more damage. Registeel can knock out low hp pokemon on the bench with Triple Laser, which can bypass whatever is sitting in the active and just keep hitting benched pokemon which can be revived with target whistle and killed again. Empoleon gets a more powerful attack with more benched pokemon, and can offer a little more straight-up damage than registeel, while also being a bit better against Mewtwo EXs due to single energy attack cost. Empoleon also has type advantage against fire types that steel types are weak to, especially pyroar.. I also added in Bronzong here, because he can accelerate Registeel's attacks whilst also having synergy with Empoleon who can discard Metal Energy with diving draw. I have still included an exeggcute in the deck because I may have multiple empoleon on the bench and not enough metal energy to discard to make the most of it (or perhaps don't want to discard metal energy for whatever reason).
Suicune is in the deck because I figured this deck succeeds best against stage 2 decks and decks that use a lot of low hp basic pokemon so registeel can knock out several at a time. What the deck will be bad against is full EX decks with lots of high hp basics, such as virizion genesect and friends. Suicune can at the very least help me stall these matches until I can set up a registeel EX with 4 energies or something like that.
For item cards, I am running steel shelter to help out my Registeel EX primarily and give it immunity from status. This just seems better than sparkling robe because every deck runs startling megaphone, but not every deck will run a large number of counter-stadiums. That means Registeel can make full use of its high hp and its secondary attack which reduces incoming damage.
3 target whistle is important to the deck, making both Registeel and Empoleon hit harder and have more impact. I'm not running any lysandre because the point of registeel is to hit these things straight on the bench without having to draw them out, potentially wiping several at the same time while completely bypassing something like a safeguard pokemon sitting in the active trying to prevent damage.
2 megaphone is important for garbodor, although I think the deck is not completely dismantled by it, just slowed down quite a bit. If its already up then the deck can operate with garbodor in play.
1 computer search for the ace spec, because its a good card for just grabbing whatever I need and I guess it would be helpful for getting a rare candy or switch or anything.
Supporters are a little thin because empoleon has some draw support, and 1 lysandre's last resort for personal preference. It might seem to work against the flow of the deck and I think that this is true if used incorrectly. But N can be used incorrectly also. It is just important to use it where you get more beenfit from your opponent. Not really sure how much energy this deck actually requires, but 8 metal energy and 5 water energy seemed like enough (both empoleon and suicune only need 1 water energy each, and the metal energy can hopefully be recycled repeatedly).
Feedback much appreciated, I feel like this is the most sensible deck I've probably made but I'm really not sure if Registeel and Empoleon offer offensive power if I can't abuse target whistle. Also I am a little worried about being short on water energy even though 5 is quite a lot for secondary attackers. As for problem decks, I would imagine Virizion Genesect would be an issue (although I have suicune, I can imagine that Virizion Genesect decks will have prepared for safeguarders and they both have water resistance meaning 4hkos... and bronzongs can get ohkod) and that's really the main deck that stands out as a bit problematic for me. Dragonite could perhaps be a problem since they can take the pokemon I am putting on their bench and shuffle them back into the deck, although Dragonite has less tools to deal with a suicune.
As for changes, I was considering whether a shiftry would be more powerful as a secondary attacker but shiftry just requires a lot more energy to use its leaf draw. However it would give me the power to achieve ohkos on EX pokemon... BUT then it wouldn't give me a free method of discarding metal energy for acceleration. I know there are other pokemon which could perhaps fit the Empoleons role with a more offensive playstyle but Empoleon seemed like the most reliable and stable.
Dusknoir is not really the stage 2 I am looking for here by the way. A secondary attacker is important because of pyroar.
Perhaps I can find some replacements for those cards.
