Standard Ultra Necrozma GX/Malamar

[mattpoke]

Hey All! I'm looking to return to the TCG scene and I'm thinking Malamar mainly because it's a pretty versatile card and I've decided to go with the Ultra Necrozma GX for the new rotation. I still have a few spaces left to tech in more trainers and Pokemon, but I cant decide on which ones would be good for the new rotation. Was hoping you guys could weigh in on this partial list and the potential adds.

Pokemon 18
4 Inkay
4 Malamar
2 Ultra Necrozma GX
2 Giratina
2 Jirachi
1 Mew
1 Mimikyu Copycat
1 Mimikyu Ability (Cosmic Eclipse)
1 Blacephalon CES

Trainers 32
4 Cynthia
4 Lillie
2 Cynthia and Caitlin
4 Mysterious Treasure
3 Pokemon Communication
3 Switch
2 Great Catcher
3 Viridian Forest
3 Escape Board
3 Spell Tag
1 Reset Stamp

Energy 10
7 Psychic
2 Metal
1 Beast Energy

I'm guessing almost everyone is familiar with the strategy - Tina and Ultra Necrozma are the attackers while Malamar provides energy acceleration. Jirachi to setup early on with Escape Board for retreating.

Potential Adds
-Mew - bench protection
-Dawn Wings Necrozma GX - good ability, 120 damage that isn't affected by resistance.
-Gengar & Mimikyu TT - I've seen this being recommended by a couple videos, but I'm concerned about its consistency since you don't know what's in your opponents hand. You can potentially hit mew3 hard for 2 energy though...
-Espeon & Deoxys TT - late game attacker?
-Latios GX- wall for TTs
-Mimikyu CEC 97 - it's ability seems good, but doesn't seem to gel well with Latios GX so this could be an 'either or' situation

-Custom Catcher - trying to avoid this because of the cost; that's why I chose the Great Catcher instead.
-Cherish Ball - search for the heavy hitters
-Reset Stamp - disruption
-Spell Tag - extra damage, but I'm not sure if this is needed in this deck variant

 

[Dark Espeon]

Hi mattpoke,

Welcome back and congratulation on a nice deck choice. Maybe consider these modifications:

- 2 Erika's Hospitality (Cynthia and Caitlin worked better for me)
+ 2 Cynthia and Caitlin (nice draw and discard in addition to supporter recovery)

- 1 Switch (three should suffice on usual)
+ 3 Spell Tag (still a great Pokémon tool in Malamar decks)
+ 1 Reset Stamp (great disruptive stable in almost all decks)
+ 2 Escape Board (enables Jirachi to retreat even when asleep and turns him into a nice stand in in between turns)

+ 1 Blacephalon SM12 (similar to Espeon and Deoxys GX once your opponent is down to three prizes and combos well with Giratina and Ultra Necrozma)
+ 1 Mimikyu SM2 (still legal due to the promo card with the same name, typing and attack and still a great attacker in a Tag Team heavy format)

I would also retain Spell Tag since it works well with Giratina and Blacephalon. Furthermore, the GX attack on Ultra Necrozma GX becomes a lot more potent with it and can be used to clean the battlefield late game. Personally I would also cut one Metal Energy in favor of a seventh Psychic Energy.

Here are some relevant spoilers if needed:

Blacephalon
Basic Psychic Pokemon - Ultra Beast
HP: 110
[P][C] Firework Bomb: Put 4 damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon in any way you like. If your opponent has exactly 3 Prize cards remaining, put 12 damage counters on them instead.
Retreat Cost: CC
Weakness: D
Resistance: F

Cynthia and Caitlin
Trainer - Supporter (Tag Team)
Put a supporter card from your discard pile into your hand (excluding any Cynthia and Caitlin or cards discarded by this card). When you play this card, you may discard 1 card from your hand. If you do, draw 3 cards.

Hope this provides some initial assistance.

 

[mattpoke]

Really appreciate this, Dark Espeon! Using single prize attackers over the GX/TT seem like a good option.

For the Mimikyu you recommended is that the one with the Copycat attack?

Also, do the Spell Tags mainly go on the Mallys or Tina or really any potential target? Also am I gonna be safe in the new rotation without Mew?

 

[AngryBokoblin]

Really appreciate this, Dark Espeon! Using single prize attackers over the GX/TT seem like a good option.

For the Mimikyu you recommended is that the one with the Copycat attack?

Also, do the Spell Tags mainly go on the Mallys or Tina or really any potential target? Also am I gonna be safe in the new rotation without Mew?

You need mew, too.
Because reshirom and nag and a lot of other stuff.
Trust me, mew is VERY useful.

 

[Dark Espeon]

Really appreciate this, Dark Espeon! Using single prize attackers over the GX/TT seem like a good option.

For the Mimikyu you recommended is that the one with the Copycat attack?

Also, do the Spell Tags mainly go on the Mallys or Tina or really any potential target? Also am I gonna be safe in the new rotation without Mew?

Spell Tag is mainly for Psychic Pokémon that you expect the opponent to be able to knock out and they help to set the stage for Ultra Necrozma's GX attack. Mimikyu is the one with Copycat to take advantage of the opponent's attacks. For me Mew depends on the local meta. If you expect to run into Naganadel GX or Pikachu and Zekrum GX he helps a lot. If you expect to run into other Malamar decks his usefullness is more limited to bypassing opposing Spell Tags. You can easily cut one Pokémon Communication for a bench barrier Mew. Also watch out for Guzzlord from the new set. Most Malamar decks tend to have troubles with him.

 

[mattpoke]

Are there any ways around Guzzlord aside from attacking with Ultra Necrozma?

Anyway this sounds good, guys. I updated the deck list on the original post. Gonna put the core cards together and play around with the techs. Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[Dark Espeon]

Are there any ways around Guzzlord aside from attacking with Ultra Necrozma?

Anyway this sounds good, guys. I updated the deck list on the original post. Gonna put the core cards together and play around with the techs. Thanks again for the suggestions!

Not sure to be honest. The main issue is that Dark Box became much more consistent with the Tag Call engine and Guzzlord is a HP 150 one-prize attacker, who draws an extra prize card whenever he knocks out a defender. In my opinion he is also the main reason Dark Box may become relevant.

There are several things Malamar decks could do. In the current variant you could tech in one Mimikyu to shut down Weavile GX to disable them to move the accelerated energies from Weavile GX and Naganadel to Guzzlord and Umbreon and Darkrai GX. This limits their option to power up their main attacker but it also consumes one bench slot which can be an issue if you want to refuel Ultra Necrozma GX.

Another option would be to trade Ultra Necrozma GX for Tag Team attackers such as Garchomp and Giratina GX or Naganadel and Guzzlord GX. The former one would also benefit from the sniping theme and Mimikyu as a means to shut down abilities on Pokémon GX. compared to Ultra Necrozma GX Garchomp and Giratina GX can get away with no ore than two benched Malamar which resolves the bench space issue. In the latter case you are banking on higher HP of Naganadel and Guzzlord GX and tech ine one or two Lana and Mallow to heal and switch.

The third option would be to retain the spread theme and focus on a non-GX Malamar built with a second Copycat Mimikyu and an additional alternate non-GX attacker that is not weak to Darkness. The main idea here is to disable Dark Box by shutting down Weavile with Mimikyu and use copycat Mimikyu to keep pace in the prize race with Guzzlord. In this variant you may even want to break even on copycat Mimikyu and the new Marshadow.

For the current version with a focus on Ultra Necrozma GX I would take the risk to devote a bench slot to Mimikyu from the new set that has an ability which shuts down abilities on Pokémon GX with damage counters on them.

Hope this provides some initial assistance.

 

[mattpoke]

Not sure to be honest. The main issue is that Dark Box became much more consistent with the Tag Call engine and Guzzlord is a HP 150 one-prize attacker, who draws an extra prize card whenever he knocks out a defender. In my opinion he is also the main reason Dark Box may become relevant.

There are several things Malamar decks could do. In the current variant you could tech in one Mimikyu to shut down Weavile GX to disable them to move the accelerated energies from Weavile GX and Naganadel to Guzzlord and Umbreon and Darkrai GX. This limits their option to power up their main attacker but it also consumes one bench slot which can be an issue if you want to refuel Ultra Necrozma GX.

Another option would be to trade Ultra Necrozma GX for Tag Team attackers such as Garchomp and Giratina GX or Naganadel and Guzzlord GX. The former one would also benefit from the sniping theme and Mimikyu as a means to shut down abilities on Pokémon GX. compared to Ultra Necrozma GX Garchomp and Giratina GX can get away with no ore than two benched Malamar which resolves the bench space issue. In the latter case you are banking on higher HP of Naganadel and Guzzlord GX and tech ine one or two Lana and Mallow to heal and switch.

The third option would be to retain the spread theme and focus on a non-GX Malamar built with a second Copycat Mimikyu and an additional alternate non-GX attacker that is not weak to Darkness. The main idea here is to disable Dark Box by shutting down Weavile with Mimikyu and use copycat Mimikyu to keep pace in the prize race with Guzzlord. In this variant you may even want to break even on copycat Mimikyu and the new Marshadow.

For the current version with a focus on Ultra Necrozma GX I would take the risk to devote a bench slot to Mimikyu from the new set that has an ability which shuts down abilities on Pokémon GX with damage counters on them.

Hope this provides some initial assistance.

Thanks for the detailed explanations. I teched in both types of Mimikyu and removed 1 Pokecom. Might bring that back and cut Escape Board down to 2 copies.