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ZPST (Zekrom)

Magnevire

Magnevire

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Pokemon: 12

4 Zekrom BW
2 Pachirisu CoL
2 Shaymin UL
4 Tornadus EP

Energy: 15

12 {L}
3 {C}{C}

T/S/S: 32

2 Dual Ball
3 Eviolite
2 Pokegear
1 Energy Search
4 PONT
4 Pokemon Collector
3 Juniper
2 Sage's Training
3 Pluspower
4 Pokemon Catcher
1 SSU
4 Junk Arm

Strategy: T1 Zekrom/Shaymin/Pachy. Score the donk. Tornadus is there to Stave off Donphan and deal with RDL if anyone still uses the latter. Bellsprout is teched in to deal with one of ZPS's potentially more frustrating matchups with trainer lock to drag out Vileplume and kill it next turn, or drag out Gothetelle's Reuniclus, KO that, and hopefully address that inability to score KOs.
 
RE: ZPST

I have never needed to use Revive at all...even in a prize-trading scenario against Reshiplosion, you are most likely to be up 1-2 prizes before they start killing you, so the 4 Zekroms and 4 Tornadus are quite enough. Tornadus can kill weak benched Pokemon by catcher, so you don't have to be doing 120 till the end of the game. With your defenders, there's also a good chance they can't 1-hit you.

So
-2 Revive
+2 Sage's Training
 
RE: ZPST

-2 Revive: These aren't all that useful. They help you get your attackers back but you won't really need to do that because you already run enough.
-3 Seeker: If you want to play a card that picks up your Pokemon Super Scoop Up would probably be better. I know Seeker can lead to donks but I feel like they might just clog up your hand later.
-1 Dual Ball: I don't think you should be so dependent on coin flips to grab your basics.
-2 Professor Oak's New Theory: I think that Professor Juniper and Sage's Training are superior in this deck so I lowered the count of these.
-1 Energy Retrieval: I don't think this card is very necessary. I've been told to not play it.
-1 Zekrom: Tornadus is a better start for this deck so I think cutting this down to 3 won't hurt.
-1 Junk Arm: 4 is okay but I think 3 might work better. I just don't think you'll need to use Junk Arm that many times.

+4 Pokemon Collector: This card works great in this deck just like it would in any other deck. 4 is good for consistency and it can help you get the donk.
+1 Pokemon Catcher: You're going to want to get a KO every turn so even more Pokemon Catcher should help you to always get one.
+1 Double Colorless Energy: Tornadus should be your main attacker early game so this should help it to get the energy necessary to donk easier.
+2 Super Scoop Up: Well since I took out your Seekers I thought I would replace them with these.
+1 Sage's Training: It's better to play 3-4 of this card so I bumped up your count.
+2 Pokegear 3.0: This card helps you to always have a Supporter in your hand. Don't know what else to say about it but I recommend at least trying it.

Hope some of these suggestions help you out. I think part of this deck is just player preference so you may not agree with everything. Let me know if you have any questions about any of the changes. =]
 
RE: ZPST

Funny you mention Tornadus. In my playtesting, I've found Tornadus is much better than Zekrom to begin with. I'd thought of dropping Zekrom, so I'm kinda glad that it was a viable idea. One thing I've wondered is if energy returner would be better than energy retrieval, as I've noticed instances where I've had to Juniper away retrieval, making the energy recovery pointless, where returner puts it back in the deck. Seems that everyone supports 4 Sage's too.

I'mma go playtest some of these changes. Thanks for the feedback.
 
RE: ZPST

No, don't go more than 2 Pokemon Collector. You would rather be using PONT or Juniper to draw more cards than find 3 basics, because you need more than just Shaymin/Pachi for the kill.
 
RE: ZPST

Decided on 3 collector/3 Dual Ball for now. There are some hands I have the energy I need and I really don't want to screw around with Dual Ball flips. I think PC is overall better for Tornadus start though. Unless Hurricane gets the donk, I'd rather move the energy to Zekrom than either of the techs. There are definitely occasions I get the wrong one, but usually with a Juniper or something I can get the other no problem. My big debate now is Sage's vs Cheren. Sages thins the deck out more, but Cheren gets more cards and doesn't discard. I find Cheren better for long term if the donk doesn't work out, but I'm not sure how big a deal the slightly lower chance of a donk is. You both seem to have a really firm grasp of ZPS? Is there a contest between those two?
 
RE: ZPST

IMO, Seeker > SSU in here. I just hate flips with a passion and the point of a good deck is to reduce as much luck as possible. This is also why I carry a 4-2 split on Collector/Dual Ball.

Ditch the Returner for a Retrieval as well.

Minus one SSU for an extra Junk Arm, and -1 DCE for +1 electric

Do consider Magby TR as well as an alternate Goth counter with less energy cost and a free retreat as well.
 
RE: ZPST

I had retrieval in here and there are times it definitely helps, but one thing that keeps me from using it is the fact that, all too often, I'll have a Juniper for draw, and no means to get the energy down quicker unless I wait on manual attachments. Depending on whether I might need a pluspower, defender, catcher, etc, the wait could be a bad move, but playing Juniper renders the Retrieval useless. If I use returner, at least the energy is back in my deck, and I can probably get a couple of them from Juniper anyway.

4DCE stays atm. Tornadus is my ideal starter as a general rule. It's much easier to setup can KOs most basics not called Reshiram or Zekrom.

Magby I've heard of as a Goth counter, but I don't really understand it. Are we talking about using burn hoping for the extra twenty when my opponent ends? It seems kinda iffy, especially if Magby doesn't wake up when switching to my turn. I suppose it could work given the special condition rules, but I'm not sold on it yet. Is there more to it or is that it?
 
RE: ZPST (needs main pokemon in deck title)

No, Magby sucks. Better to use Bellsprout to drag the Reuniclus to active spot.

Also you could put in a Judge so you can reduce the chances of your opponent having a DCE in hand.
 
RE: ZPST (needs main pokemon in deck title)

petertclo said:
No, Magby sucks. Better to use Bellsprout to drag the Reuniclus to active spot.
Click to expand...

Here you are correct; drag Reuniclus to hamper their lock, and depending on their hand it might be stuck there for quite some time. It outclasses Magby only slightly though, but that's because Magby is an unreliable tech for the matchup, whereas Bellsprout has a 100% succes chance. While trying to KO is usually the problem, if you can disable the lock (even if only for 1 turn on your end) you have a good chance you can fight back by using your Trainers in the right situation to nab that crucial KO. Just keep in mind a Goth player can always opt to ''sacrifice'' the newly brought up active, in which they will give you a prize, but they will never sacrifice the lock in that way.

petertclo said:
Also you could put in a Judge so you can reduce the chances of your opponent having a DCE in hand.
Click to expand...

Here you are wrong, most Goth builds run at least 1 Tropical Beach, which by the help of 4 Twins they can easily fetch, and can break free of the 4/5-ish hand size, while you might be stuck in it. Besides, ZPST is all about speed, so why use a stall/disruption card like Judge in this deck?

On regards to the decklist, all I'd like to say is that you could consider Unown DARK, as well as a Sp Dark energy; it can be searched with Collector/Dual Ball, and if you attach a Sp Dark and a DCE to a Tornadus you're not required to move energy from Tornadus to attack if you don't want to.

Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you want!
 
Now that Noble Victories has been released, I would exchange the Defnders for Eviolite. It stays in play, can be Junk Arm'ed and also reduce damage done to Zekrom by it's own Bolt Strike.

Just one question: Are you able to get and use Bellsprout against Gothitelle/Reuniclus? If yes, then I'll see if I can make it work for me too, since it's the most evil thing I have ever heard :D
 
I pitched Bellsprout a long time ago actually, I really need to update this list.

I do request people don't lock this. I was originally going to make a new thread for the new ZPST, but this saves me time and provides some references.

That said, I tried Unown Dark after seeing how well it performed at regionals, but it flat out doesn't work for me. It necessitated a SSU, which is fine, but I ended up only needing unown dark half of the time, and out of that time, it maybe worked half of the time due to Unown Dark or the Dark energy being prized. And I tried the deck like this for a while. I've decided that, in the end, I don't like it.

Added current decklist.
 
Oh ok :) I hoped that it was useful, since I get totally stuck, when i play against Gothitelle. I think that I'll try it anyways, and see if it works for me.

The Unown thing sounds pretty frustrating... I never wanted to play it.

Heh, seems like the decklist was the only thing you added :D. The strategy still includes Bellsprout and it seems like you have decided to play with Sage's Training.

I don't think that three Eviolite is necessary:
Cubox said:
It stays in play, can be Junk Arm'ed...
Click to expand...

I would exchange a Eviolite for a SSU (I don't believe that one is enough).

-1 Eviolite

+1 SSU

Good luck :)
 
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