Yveltal-EX Variants

Asclepius24

Asclepius24

Aspiring Trainer
Member
This thread is for all discussion of competitive Yveltal-EX variants in the Standard format. This includes strategies and matchups.

You may post decklists here, but only as a means to add to the discussion. If you're looking for advice on your list, please post in the Deck Garage.

Articles:
The Last Stand — ECC Overview And Standard Decks For States

Yveltal-EX / Zoroark BKT / Gallade BKT Skeleton List:

Pokemon: 13
  • 3 Yveltal XY 78
  • 2 Zorua BKT 89
  • 2 Zoroark BKT 91
  • 2 Yveltal-EX XY 79
  • 2 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
  • 2 Gallade BKT 84
Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums: 31
  • 2 Professor Sycamore
  • 2 Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick
  • 1 Judge
  • 1 Lysandre
  • 4 VS Seeker
  • 4 Ultra Ball
  • 4 Trainers' Mail
  • 4 Acro Bike
  • 4 Battle Compressor
  • 3 Muscle Band
  • 2 Float Stone
Energy: 11
  • 7 Darkness Energy
  • 4 Double Colorless Energy
Open spots: 5
 
Glad to see this up on the main page. I haven't had a chance to play the deck myself, but my cards are on the way. What are the good and bad match up for this deck? What do you really need to look out for?
 
The main problem is the weakness. I ran this at the Kent Ohio cities, and ran into 3 electric decks out of 4 before I dropped. Electric is everywhere here, so knowing your area's commonly used decks is important.
 
This deck dies against Vileplume, does it not? Lysandring multiple times while using Vileplume can end up a problem. Even with Zoroark, you can possibly energy disrupt them, not being able to retreat easily. Even though that's near impossible since basically no decks do that, if someone made a deck based around that type of strategy, you'd be screwed.
 
I have not checked the forums in awhile, I decide to check the meta decks for reference and this is the first I see. To say that I am honestly surprised is an understatement; any insight on how the deck is a Tier 1? I can see how but a proper explanation would be nice too.
 
could you play 1-2 reserved ticket? In standard it brings your hand size down and helps you get a draw for next turn like an Ultra Ball. I feel with rotation and standard, Archie and Maxie decks don't have Computer Search and Jirachi and all these little other techs that are only in expanded. In expanded it is so much easier to get the turn one archie / maxie. Out of about 20 games I've only been able too pull it off on T1, twice. How many Sycamore would be a good number though? In Maxie decks, I found 3 too work fine, but I have not yet tried 2.
 
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Just asking what cards can be tech'ed to beat this matchup? Any suggestions?

Currently what I think could help:
Lugia EX AOR
Dedenne FFI
 
Gabking5458 said:
Just asking what cards can be tech'ed to beat this matchup? Any suggestions?

Currently what I think could help:
Lugia EX AOR
Dedenne FFI
Click to expand...

Lugia EX is almost always inferior to Yveltal EX in a dark deck, simply because Yveltal EX hit more, although Lugia EX may attack T1.
Dedenne, other than against mirror deck, or maybe colorless Rayquaza, i don't see much from it too.
I may just fill the 5 spots with 2 more Sycamore, stadium (the new reverse stadium perhaps) or more Yveltal/ Yveltal EX
 
ToToLaw said:
Lugia EX is almost always inferior to Yveltal EX in a dark deck, simply because Yveltal EX hit more, although Lugia EX may attack T1.
Dedenne, other than against mirror deck, or maybe colorless Rayquaza, i don't see much from it too.
I may just fill the 5 spots with 2 more Sycamore, stadium (the new reverse stadium perhaps) or more Yveltal/ Yveltal EX
Click to expand...

Lugia-EX would probably be a good answer to Yveltal-EX if you run Assault Vest in your deck. It's usually a longshot for Lugia to OHKO anything without Deep Hurricane, and since Yveltal decks run a lot of Double Colorless, it should be able to buy you some time against it.
 
If I were to add a stadium into this deck, would it be Parallel City, Shadow Circle, or the new Reverse Valley?
 
ProZlockie said:
If I were to add a stadium into this deck, would it be Parallel City, Shadow Circle, or the new Reverse Valley?
Click to expand...
i was thinking using the new reverse valley and switch out Muscle bands for fighting spirit belts (or maybe like 2 FSB 1 band) as it gives Yvetal 210 hp and using reverse valley negates the -10 attack you get with FSB
 
I personally play Parallel City because it can cripple Raichu, and can discard Shaymin from your bench. I built my list mainly off of my Archiestoise list. I think Puzzle of Time could work, in the sense that you can somewhat abuse it with Battle Comp.
 
Calzum said:
i was thinking using the new reverse valley and switch out Muscle bands for fighting spirit belts (or maybe like 2 FSB 1 band) as it gives Yvetal 210 hp and using reverse valley negates the -10 attack you get with FSB
Click to expand...
FFB doesn't negate 10 damage, it adds 10 damage. And I think this combo is pretty good, because it could perhaps survive from the evil little antenna mouse, and still gives +20 damage.

Gabking5458 said:
Just asking what cards can be tech'ed to beat this matchup? Any suggestions?

Currently what I think could help:
Lugia EX AOR
Dedenne FFI
Click to expand...
The new Zebstrika BKP fits the bill, it can be splashed in many decks, and it can OHKO Yveltal-EX, even with FFB!
 
Luqyman said:
FFB doesn't negate 10 damage, it adds 10 damage. And I think this combo is pretty good, because it could perhaps survive from the evil little antenna mouse, and still gives +20 damage.


The new Zebstrika BKP fits the bill, it can be splashed in many decks, and it can OHKO Yveltal-EX, even with FFB!
Click to expand...
Zebstrika seems rather ineffective against anything not resistant to fighting though. Then consider that gallade knocks it out without even needing a supporter, and zoroark only needs you to bench three pokemon.
 
I recently faced a very similar Yveltal/Zoroark/Gallade deck at a local tournament. He decked out after 16 turns. Do you find that this is a weakness in the deck?
 
People are playing Dark Patch in expanded, so what if you tried playing Max Elixirs and 1 copy of the new Darkrai?
 
gumball51321 said:
People are playing Dark Patch in expanded, so what if you tried playing Max Elixirs and 1 copy of the new Darkrai?
Click to expand...

No offence but i want to raise 2 point.

1. baby yveltal contradict the use of max elixir. if you throw energy into discard, chance of max elixir success decrease, also Yveltal ex is the only pokemon that needs tonnes of energy (actually sometimes may not), other pokemon can go with just one attachment.

2. Darkrai ex deserves its own deck. without Hypno, it can only use dark head efficiently, which is inferior to evil ball imo. also the whole point of using YZG is to attack with several non Ex, to win the prize trade. Yveltal ex is enough for some situation, so i would not add in more Ex.
 
ToToLaw said:
No offence but i want to raise 2 point.

1. baby yveltal contradict the use of max elixir. if you throw energy into discard, chance of max elixir success decrease, also Yveltal ex is the only pokemon that needs tonnes of energy (actually sometimes may not), other pokemon can go with just one attachment.

2. Darkrai ex deserves its own deck. without Hypno, it can only use dark head efficiently, which is inferior to evil ball imo. also the whole point of using YZG is to attack with several non Ex, to win the prize trade. Yveltal ex is enough for some situation, so i would not add in more Ex.
Click to expand...
I know, I was just spitballing. There are different things that contradict BabyYveltal, like Dark Patch, but people play it anyway. Something I learned in Pokémon, is that you never truly know something without experimenting. Everyone thought Primal Groudon was dead, but in every new set, it seems to gain some new tricks. Max Elixir, Super Rod, Regirock, and Jirachi make the 5-95 matchup with Vespiquen more like a 50-50 matchup if played right. They would have no way to bring up my Groudon unless it's Pre-Primal T1, and everything they kill are 1 prizes. I'll save the other stuff for the Groudon discussion, but my point being, you never do truly know something unless you playtest.
 
The difference between Max Elixir and Dark Patch is that Dark Patch still accelerates from the discard, whereas Max Elixir accelerates from the deck. Dark Patch doesn't contradict Yveltal at all - in fact it helps it out. You aren't pressured to keep using your attack for energy acceleration, so you can focus on stronger hits. It also synergises much better with Battle Compressor. Max Elixir creates a strange disconnect where you want a lot of energy in both the deck AND the discard pile, which splits your attention too much. You don't want to dump energy with Battle Compressor because you then drastically cut your odds of pulling off Max Elixir... but without dumping them you can't really accelerate with Yveltal.

Having done some testing with a turbo Yveltal deck (using a similar engine to the Palkia and Gardevoir decks I've been trying out), this disconnect is a bigger deal than you might think. You typically end up trying to focus too much on either Yveltal or Max Elixir. If you accelerate with Max Elixir, you have to draw them first, and you probably won't dump enough energy to reliably use Yveltal. But if you focus on Yveltal, any Max Elixir's you draw are likely to come up dead. The way around this would be to play more basic darks, but then you probably don't have the space to play DCE... since Max Elixir tends to be most reliable when you play 12-13 basic energy.

I'm sure a smarter player than me could make it work a lot better, maybe with more judicious use of Battle Compressor to thin the deck out better for Max Elixir. I don't think YZG decks run nearly enough darks to run Elixir's efficiently though (the standard is 7-8, right?).


So anyhow... I've given this deck an honest go on PTCGO, but I gotta ask: how do people actually play this deck? I'm using a list that was on one of the front page articles at one point, and it just feels so awkward and weird to use. I keep drawing these bizarre hands that are really difficult/impossible to reduce down to play Maxie's, and often end up in dead draw situations cause I can't play enough Supporters or something. I know every deck has their dead moments, but even with a proven list I just couldn't get this deck fired up properly. I dunno! I'd ask what am I doing wrong, but since I don't have any demonstration of my playing with it I think the better question is what's the best way to look at playing the deck? Like what early-game plays should I be looking for etc. Clearly I am doing something wrong with the deck, but I don't know what.
 
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