Expanded VirBulu: Possible new mainstream Expanded?

[joffreyspikes]

Pokémon: 14
3x Tapu Bulu-GX
3x Virizion-EX
2x Lurantis-GX
2x Lurantis SM25
3x Fomantis
1x Tapu Lele-GX

Trainers: 35
4x Professor Sycamore
3x N
2x Acerola
2x Lysandre
1x Pokémon Center Lady
2x Olympia

4x Ultra Ball
4x VS Seeker
3x Muscle Band
3x Float Stone
3x Revitalizer
2x Field Blower
1x Switch
1x Dowsing Machine

Energy: 11
11x Grass Energy

This deck takes inspiration from the 'VirGen' archetype that dominated the Standard format 3 or so years ago, only using the higher-damage Tapu Bulu-GX as opposed to Genesect-EX.

Tapu Bulu-GX is here to do all the big hitting (he can one hit anything in the current Expanded meta with Nature's Judgement comfortably). The GX attack has a very high damage output and fully healing all damage is always nice.

Virizion-EX shields all of your attackers from Special Conditions and is an excellent early game Energy accelerator. It's incredibly useful as it means we don't need to run Max Elixir. With a Promo Lurantis and a Muscle Band, it can even OHKO the ever-present Toad.

And lastly, Lurantis-GX draws lost energy back from the discard pile onto your Bulus. It also has a pretty decent attack in Solar Blade and a GX attack that can be astoundingly good in the right circumstances, but Flower Supply is all we will be mostly using on this Pokémon.

What I like about this deck is its versatility. For example, we will never be stuck by a Jolteon-EX or a Regice because of our 3 very different options (Basic GX, Basic EX, Stage 1 GX). We can also choose to go for monstrous damage or quick Energy acceleration. Its a deck that will never be stuck for options and will rarely brick.

A crucial aspect of this deck is switching, but with our two Olympia and Switch, I believe that is covered.

Three Revitalizer seems like the right number. It's a pure Grass deck but 4 would be slightly overkill. Also, it means a little more flexibility over what you Sycamore/Ultra Ball away is permitted.

Please leave comments on how improve this deck. Thank you!

 

[F4H_Jay]

Seems like a good build, just I think with expanded still being black and white to all the current sets. Its so open, hard to predict the meta.

 

[gumball51321]

Seems like a good build, just I think with expanded still being black and white to all the current sets. Its so open, hard to predict the meta.

Not really. If it's consistent and it goes toe to toe with Maxie's Yveltal, it's decent.

And I don't think this is a potential meta contender in expanded. Lurantis is good with Vileplume because you can exploit Battle Compressor and Revitalizer WAAAY too much to be fair. But with Bulu, the deck becomes super klunky and slow. Discarding all energy in one attack and not recovering immediately next turn is not good at all, since it allows super easy prizes in the fast-paced expanded.Also, Virizion is a dead card. It's really slow at accelerating energy, and you might as well just attach the energy to something else, since the Virzion will most likely be KO'd and you'll lose the energy on it anyway. It's ability also doesn't really matter, since no one plays Laser in expanded, at least, not if they want to actually win multiple games, and there are better ways to use Lurantis in expanded, and in general.
I would scrap the general list altogether, an dplay something like this:

Pokemon:18

• 4 Fomantis
• 4 Lurantis GX
• 1 Lurantis (promo)
• 2 Oddish
• 2 Gloom
• 2 Vileplume AOR
• 2 Shaymin-EX
• 1 Tapu Lele GX

Trainers:32

• 4 Sycamore
• 4 AZ
• 2 N
• 2 Lysandre
• 4 Forest of Giant Plants
• 4 Ultra Ball
• 4 Battle Compressor
• 4 Revitalizer
• 4 Trainers' Mail
• 1 Computer Search

Energy: 9

• 9 Grass

Yeah, this is the list I've been testing, and it's going well. The strategy is to just Compress your Pokemon, Revitalize them, then you should ideally have a Vileplume, 2 Grass in the discard pile, 1-2 Lurantis GX and the promo Lurantis in play turn 1. The deck is really consistent, and I think that THIS could be a top expanded contender, especially since it won a regionals.

 

[joffreyspikes]

Discarding all energy in one attack and not recovering immediately next turn is not good at all, since it allows super easy prizes in the fast-paced expanded.

But you do recover energy immediately: send up Lurantis/Virizion and one manual attachment and you're rolling.

 

[gumball51321]

But you do recover energy immediately: send up Lurantis/Virizion and one manual attachment and you're rolling.

So then it's not immediately. You're taking an extra turn to attack. Putting your opponent at an advantage by giving them an extra turn.

 

[joffreyspikes]

What's the alternative?

 

[gumball51321]

Don't play Bulu/ Lurantis. I gave my argument for an alternative already, and I really think that's the best way to play Lurantis, since Bulu has virtually no good options in expanded, and Virizion is just a dead card.

 

[gumball51321]

Also, there is no motive for playing this in expanded, you literally ONLY have Virizion as an expanded card. Dude, you don't even have an ace spec, and you seem to think the expanded meta is something completely different from what it is.

 

[gumball51321]

Well, my whole argument has just been rendered pointless. FoGP and Archeops have been banned, so I'm going to go die in a hole and sell my cards and invest in Magic. I heard that's pretty good.

 

[joffreyspikes]

Also, there is no motive for playing this in expanded, you literally ONLY have Virizion as an expanded card. Dude, you don't even have an ace spec, and you seem to think the expanded meta is something completely different from what it is.

You said that if a deck can go toe-to-toe with Yveltal Archeops its good.

Well, my whole argument has just been rendered pointless. FoGP and Archeops have been banned, so I'm going to go die in a hole and sell my cards and invest in Magic. I heard that's pretty good.

Poor you. I'm not too chuffed about FoGP being banned either, but Archeops is a healthy decision.