Discussion Viability of Wailord

[OP_Magikarp]

Hello, I'm rather new to Pokemon TCG and I'm trying to get a grasp on decent decks in the format. I already have Night March built and although it's an amazing deck, I feel like it has a target and can be hated out easily. So my question is that if the Wailord EX stall deck would be a solid choice right now? I know it has had some success before but I haven't really heard or seen much from it recently.

 

[MaD_DoG]

Wailord is great in the hands of the right player. Some players try to be too aggressive with it. If you are ok with having a bad vespiquen and greninja matchup and don't fall asleep at how boring it is to play, it's a perfect deck.

 

[Otaku]

Wailord is great in the hands of the right player. Some players try to be too aggressive with it. If you are ok with having a bad vespiquen and greninja matchup and don't fall asleep at how boring it is to play, it's a perfect deck.

You're also taking a gamble; because Wailord-EX decks actually have done well in the past, now that players are flirting with them again players may decide to TecH against them. I mean that in the old-school sense. So what answers do you have for things like Bunnelby (XY: Primal Clash 121/160)? Additionally how "future proof" do you want the deck to be? Karen is still tantalizing the anti-Night March crowd, but Wailord-EX decks seem like a potential bit of collateral damage.

 

[MarshalBry]

You're also taking a gamble; because Wailord-EX decks actually have done well in the past, now that players are flirting with them again players may decide to TecH against them. I mean that in the old-school sense. So what answers do you have for things like Bunnelby (XY: Primal Clash 121/160)? Additionally how "future proof" do you want the deck to be? Karen is still tantalizing the anti-Night March crowd, but Wailord-EX decks seem like a potential bit of collateral damage.

Against Bunnelby could you not just run a Bunnelby of your own to keep shuffling cards back in? They only have a limited amount of energy denial and mill cards.

 

[Otaku]

Against Bunnelby could you not just run a Bunnelby of your own to keep shuffling cards back in? They only have a limited amount of energy denial and mill cards.

Just to be clear (and maybe it was earlier) I was talking about how decks other than Wailord-EX decks could include their own copy of Bunnelby to counter Wailord-EX decks. Newer builds aren't as vulnerable to it as older builds, since they include more options, but dueling Bunnelby seems kind of risky. If both players start using Bunnelby to recycle resources, it becomes a stalemate... except Wailord-EX decks don't usually try to take Prizes, but the other decks do so they just have to time it right to take a last minute Prize to win 5 Prizes to 6. You also have to worry about decks that have counters to other parts of the strategy as they aren't uncommon right now. In fact, it seems like Hex Maniac and Xerosic are reasonably popular (and effective) for countering other strategies. With tournament play, you have to worry about running into decks that might be bad general builds (and thus have little hope of making the top cut), but will be hard matches should you run into them those first few rounds.

Since this thread doesn't have one for reference, how about a successful, recent, Wailord-EX list? This one was used by TJ Traquair in the Masters Division of the Alberta 2016 Spring Regional Championship not quite a month ago:

Pokémon - 9

4 Wailord-EX PRC 38
1 Lugia-EX AOR 68
1 Latias-EX PLF 85
1 Aegislash-EX PHF 65
1 Suicune PLB 20
1 Bunnelby PRC 121

Trainer Cards - 49

4 AZ PHF 91
4 N FAC 105
4 Team Flare Grunt GEN 73
3 Cassius XY 115
3 Team Rocket's Handiwork FAC 112
2 Hugh BCR 130
2 Pokémon Fan Club FAC 107
1 Lysandre AOR 78
1 Shauna FAC 111
1 Xerosic PHF 110
3 Rough Seas PRC 137
4 Crushing Hammer GEN 60
4 Max Potion BKP 103
4 Puzzle of Time BKP 109
4 VS Seeker PHF 109
2 Hard Charm XY 119
1 Enhanced Hammer PHF 94
1 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99
1 Dowsing Machine PLS 128

Energy - 2

2 Double Colorless Energy FAC 114

Total Cards - 60

Yes, that is straight from the official results. I didn't know that now they even make it so you can click to export a deck list from their published results. Very handy.

 

[ShinChAnMM]

I have the old standard of this deck, and I using this XY-ON version online and lost only 2 games of 30+ played including tournament. I prefer focus on supporters to resist longer against item lock decks. Parallel City helps a lot to shrink the opponent's bench or reduce damage.


Pokémons- 7
4 Wailord EX PRC
3 Carbink FAC

Trainers - 53
2 Pokemon Fan Club
4 Skyla
2 Delinquent
4 Cassius
4 AZ
4 Team Flare Grunt
3 Team Rocket's Handiwork
1 Xerosic
2 Lysandre
2 Judge
1 N
4 VS Seeker
3 Enhanced Hammer
4 Max Potion
1 Sacred Ash
1 Dive Ball
2 Startling Megaphone
3 Hard Charm
1 Focus Sash
1 Bent Spoon
2 Parallel City
2 Rough Seas

 

[freedom8901]

How about tech Servine with Wailord? Multiple Servine along with SSU, AZ woth Giant Forest can hold your opponent up with its Ability