Discussion Why Zoroark GX/Golisopod GX is so strong?

PowerOfHorde

PowerOfHorde

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Well, hi everyone. We all now that this deck destroyed the last weekend in the European International. But why? One deck that no one saw before, one guy come with him and win every game.

It's crazy, or not? The meta is pretty easy, with Volcanion as always, Gardevoir with the new expanssion, greninja BREAK with lele, Metagross, but you know. All we know this decks.

Pokemon - 20
4 Zorua SHL 52
4 Zoroark-GX SHL 53
1 Zoroark BKT 91
3 Wimpod BUS 16
2 Golisopod-GX BUS 17
3 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60
1 Tapu Koko PR-SM SM30
1 Mewtwo EVO 51
1 Mr. Mime BKT 97

Trainer - 33
4 N FCO 105
4 Guzma BUS 115
3 Brigette BKT 134
3 Acerola BUS 112
2 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
1 Mallow GRI 127
4 Puzzle of Time BKP 109
4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
4 Field Blower GRI 125
2 Enhanced Hammer GRI 124
2 Choice Band GRI 121

Energy - 7
4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136
3 Grass Energy 1

This is the deck. I want to know you opinion about this.

What is the strong of this deck? The draw motor? The strong with few energy that he need?

Thanks for all your opinion.

Regards.
PowerOfHorde.
 
It nearly always beats everything that doesn't OHKO it, is the most consistent deck in the format, and its worst matchup is Broken Gardy with 2 Gallade, which is still only 40-60.
 
xTITAN said:
It nearly always beats everything that doesn't OHKO it, is the most consistent deck in the format, and its worst matchup is Broken Gardy with 2 Gallade, which is still only 40-60.
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Agree with everything except when you said 40-60. I’ve tested that matchup relentlessly for upcoming events and it’s about 80-20 in a best of 3
 
Pokemaster26 said:
Agree with everything except when you said 40-60. I’ve tested that matchup relentlessly for upcoming events and it’s about 80-20 in a best of 3
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In favor of Zoro? I haven't done extensive testing against that specific build of Gardy myself, so I'm just quoting Tord from his interview with the Slowpoke Well.
 
Mack Dabson said:
only top tier when vs seeker was in standard
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Not really, in london it had a noticable finish rivaling garde. It puts garde at a disadvantage and it utterly destroys metagross, it slows down volc (but not enough) to where it has to have a choice band to O. H. K.O. Golisopod using baby volc. Sure VS seeker helped it’s consistansy but if you really think you need VS seeker run the less consistant lusamine.
 
Also, with this deck, there is so little energy you HAVE to run energy loto to get DCE’s
 
The Golden Mewtwo said:
Not really, in london it had a noticable finish rivaling garde. It puts garde at a disadvantage and it utterly destroys metagross, it slows down volc (but not enough) to where it has to have a choice band to O. H. K.O. Golisopod using baby volc. Sure VS seeker helped it’s consistansy but if you really think you need VS seeker run the less consistant lusamine.
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which would put you turns behind and when you're turns behind with a two-shot deck it becomes a three shot and then you basically lose the game
 
That "one guy" is Tord Reklev, who is one of the best players in the game. And he didn't come up with the list by himself. Magnus Helle Kalland and Benjamin Pham both used the exact same list and came in 8th and 9th place at the same tournament, respectively. Golisopod GX/Zoroark GX also had three more placings in the Top 32, meaning that this was an archetype that was heavily tested before Internationals.

It's strong for the same reasons that other Golisopod GX variants are strong. Consistent 2HKOs, Acerola spam, very mobile. Zoroark GX adds crazy draw support, plus a solid back-up attacker that isn't OHKO'd so easily against Volcanion. It's also able to use Puzzle of Time effectively, which is huge in my opinion.

I think the only deck that really gives it a hard time is Brokenvoir. Max Potion spam is hard for Golisopod and Zoroark to get around, especially when they can use Gardevoir's GX attack and reuse all four of them again. On the flip side, Golisopod/Zoroark having access to Acerola and Puzzle of Time helps. The deck can also set up faster than Gardevoir. It's an interesting matchup where resource management is essential.

Basically, we already knew Golisopod GX is strong. Adding insane draw support makes it even better.
 
I've played both Golisopod GX/Garbotoxin and Golispod GX/Zoroark GX pretty extensively, both online and in paper. While Garbotoxin really does help hate out the ability based matchups such as Gardevoir and Metagross, people have just been upping their field blower count to accommodate for it. Zoroark has been a beast of a card draw engine for me, generally putting me well ahead of my opponents. Being a great backup attacker for just a DCE also makes it terribly useful. In the Gard matchup, using Guzma's to pull up a Ralts or Kirlia with either Golisopod or Zoroark able to attack leads to making it very difficult for them to setup.
 
Pokemaster26 said:
Agree with everything except when you said 40-60. I’ve tested that matchup relentlessly for upcoming events and it’s about 80-20 in a best of 3
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no matchups is that lobsided. remember that in the right hands and with right sequencing. aggression can beat gardevoir. simply because of the fact that it is a stage 2 deck. and when it cannot set up right it looses to an agressive deck like zororark/goli. but yes in a situation where both set up equally then golisopod usually looses. however when playing zoroark/goli in that matchup you focus on shutting them down early and later on you try to use golisopod gx attack and other means to defeat their gallades. even though they play 2. they usually dont get two every game with your agression. and therefore the matchup i feel is more 55/45 to gardevoir. never 80/20
 
it's quite simple really, every turn you get rid of cards that are no longer going to be useful, and get 2 cards in exchange, even if you get rid of something useful, puzzle of time can retrieve it.

then, if the opponent doesn't one hit ko you, it's almost impossible to keep up with the damage. you get hit for 120 every turn, you hit back, acerola not only heals the damage, it keeps the 120 damage consistent. the "drawback" of the attack (30 if it wasn't in the bench) is taken care of.

later on, even if you get N'd, you still have zoroark to get your hand back. after a 1-N hand you draw, that's 2 cards, use two trades for +2, and you're at a very respectable 4 cards without even having used your supporter for the turn.

and that's the reason, unless you can somehow deal with streamed 120/150 with CB attacks while dealing pretty much no damage, you either OHKO or watch your opponent steamroll, unless they somehow get absolutely screwed hand wise even after a couple trades.
 
HouchinsDJ said:
That "one guy" is Tord Reklev, who is one of the best players in the game. And he didn't come up with the list by himself. Magnus Helle Kalland and Benjamin Pham both used the exact same list and came in 8th and 9th place at the same tournament, respectively. Golisopod GX/Zoroark GX also had three more placings in the Top 32, meaning that this was an archetype that was heavily tested before Internationals.

It's strong for the same reasons that other Golisopod GX variants are strong. Consistent 2HKOs, Acerola spam, very mobile. Zoroark GX adds crazy draw support, plus a solid back-up attacker that isn't OHKO'd so easily against Volcanion. It's also able to use Puzzle of Time effectively, which is huge in my opinion.

I think the only deck that really gives it a hard time is Brokenvoir. Max Potion spam is hard for Golisopod and Zoroark to get around, especially when they can use Gardevoir's GX attack and reuse all four of them again. On the flip side, Golisopod/Zoroark having access to Acerola and Puzzle of Time helps. The deck can also set up faster than Gardevoir. It's an interesting matchup where resource management is essential.

Basically, we already knew Golisopod GX is strong. Adding insane draw support makes it even better.
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^This. Consistency is huge at large tournaments and it is hard to not get what you need when you are trading 2-3 times every turn.
The hardest thing for me when I play this list is not to deck out! LOL
 
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