Hello there Bicyclists! How has everyone been? I really need to start updating this alot more but alas, school doesn't let up. I'll try and get a more consistent schedule going, and probably start touching upon some other topics of the TCG that I'd love to get into, including the collecting aspect! I'm also thinking of starting up a Youtube channel finally but I'll have to get out and invest in a camera and such. Luckily, my tax return came in, so I can't wait to start recording deck lists, test battles etc. I'm also getting more involved with the VGC again, as I was initially a VGC player (though I never got that far in it). Perhaps that could be something to look forward to as the year progresses and as World's draws near.
After poking though all my aforementioned thoughts and predictions of the meta, I feel like there are points that I made that were face palm worthy. Even though I still despise VirGen as a deck, it's still holding out well in events. I've seen others garner success with Darkrai/Hydrigon but that deck still won't listen to me. I still refuse to let up on Flareon every now and then, which is probably unhealthy (though I'm getting into building more "meta" decks like Blastoise). I still throw in weird cards in meta builds which don't do well for me, but then someone somewhere ends up piloting the choices in the right day and time to a stellar finish. But its from stumbling and falling flat on your face that you learn to get up, to see what works and what doesn't and to grow as a player. Granted, I felt like my best times of growth were when I re-entered the game back in 2012 and threw myself in higher level tournaments after doing some research and playtesting. The best times were when I could playtest against high-leveled players, but I'd kind of lost that now since a few have quit and I don't have the courage to get myself re-entered into the playtesting circles I know will help me grow. But there's still plenty of time between now and World's to come out of left field and grind in, so I'm not giving up!
Today we're going to take a look at a deck idea that I've been spinning around that still needs some tweaking to be good, but in a format where speed and numbers are key, Lugia stands out as the fastest Prize winner in the format. Ending a game in two hits on EX's does wonders on the clock. A good majority of decks nowadays run EX's as main attackers and with the advent of XY, we got more stuff to aid Lugia speed. Without further ado, let's look at Gatorade.dec!
Lugia Speed Deck
After poking though all my aforementioned thoughts and predictions of the meta, I feel like there are points that I made that were face palm worthy. Even though I still despise VirGen as a deck, it's still holding out well in events. I've seen others garner success with Darkrai/Hydrigon but that deck still won't listen to me. I still refuse to let up on Flareon every now and then, which is probably unhealthy (though I'm getting into building more "meta" decks like Blastoise). I still throw in weird cards in meta builds which don't do well for me, but then someone somewhere ends up piloting the choices in the right day and time to a stellar finish. But its from stumbling and falling flat on your face that you learn to get up, to see what works and what doesn't and to grow as a player. Granted, I felt like my best times of growth were when I re-entered the game back in 2012 and threw myself in higher level tournaments after doing some research and playtesting. The best times were when I could playtest against high-leveled players, but I'd kind of lost that now since a few have quit and I don't have the courage to get myself re-entered into the playtesting circles I know will help me grow. But there's still plenty of time between now and World's to come out of left field and grind in, so I'm not giving up!
Today we're going to take a look at a deck idea that I've been spinning around that still needs some tweaking to be good, but in a format where speed and numbers are key, Lugia stands out as the fastest Prize winner in the format. Ending a game in two hits on EX's does wonders on the clock. A good majority of decks nowadays run EX's as main attackers and with the advent of XY, we got more stuff to aid Lugia speed. Without further ado, let's look at Gatorade.dec!
Lugia Speed Deck
Pokemon 13
X3 Lugia EX
X3 Pumpkaboo XY1
X3 Gourgeist XY1
X4 Deoxys EX
Trainers 35
X4 Professor Juniper
X4 N
X1 Shadow Triad
X4 Bicycle
X2 Level Ball
X2 Random Receiver
X3 Muscle Band XY1
X4 Escape Rope
 |
| Woooooo~! |
X4 Team Plasma Ball
X4 Colress Machine
X2 Evolution Soda
Energy 12
X4 Double Colorless Energy
X4 Team Plasma Energy
X4 Psychic Energy
So Plus Power didn't get reprinted so that is a bit depressing. But we do get something better than Six Feet Under in the form of Gourgeist.
Taking props/inspiration from the speed lugia list on TCGWithHats, this deck is meant to be extreme and play everything down right away and draw quickly to hit all the necessary pieces. There is definitely some holes in this (4 switch cards no float stones? *coughs*) But this is definitely just a starting list to get you thinking about speed and consistency.
So Plus Power didn't get reprinted so that is a bit depressing. But we do get something better than Six Feet Under in the form of Gourgeist.
Taking props/inspiration from the speed lugia list on TCGWithHats, this deck is meant to be extreme and play everything down right away and draw quickly to hit all the necessary pieces. There is definitely some holes in this (4 switch cards no float stones? *coughs*) But this is definitely just a starting list to get you thinking about speed and consistency.
Possible techs/changes
Shauna-a milder PONT, but shuffle draw is still powerful nevertheless. When I was first drafting this article, Shauna wasn't announced for our English set, but I'm very pleased that she is now included in our pantheon of Supporters. I can definitely see adjusting my lines to try and include at least 2 of her in the deck. But I still find her annoying as a character haha!
Roller Skates-
At first I wasn't sure about this card and thought it would be a bad inclusion, but in a deck that needs to a) play down the hand a fast as possible to have access to its key cards b) needs heavy draw and c) needs to hit good hand sizes to Bicycle off of, I was seeing more and more than Roller Skates is just SO GOOD. Plus, Id rather flip and potentially draw three cards to help me win than flip to try and drag up a benched pokemon (sorry catcher .-.) But a flip is still a flip... non Supporter draw is still something I won't over-look.
Tool Scrapper-
This thing hates, hates, HATES silver mirror. I mean you can get around it with the pumpkins but....that's just sad nearly auto losing to a choice teched Silver Mirror. And chances are with the still prevalent Genesect EX and Yeti (Lugia/Snorlax) people may still find a way to throw in at least one or 2.
Chandelure EX-placing damage is this decks way of getting past pesky things like Mr. Mime. Seems a bit redundant, but having another wat to spread damage and hit the magic numbers for Lugia is the best thing for the deck. Mime hasn't been seeing alot of play recently, but Chandy EX could still find itself to be a valuable asset alongside the pumpkins.
Hypnotoxic Laser-
Even I was a huge neigh-sayer against hypnobroken, but I am starting to realize its merits. Being that 10-20 off has happened to me more times than I can count and half the decks in the format run some sort of stadium-why not be able to take advantage of all three stadiums out there that are seeing alot of play? Also if you happen to hit the Pumpkins last attack, you can Laser poke for an easy finisher.
Pikachu RC/Raichu XY-
A free retreat attacker that can swing for 100 on a full bench with a DCE? Count me in! Though trying to squeeze any sort of Stage 1 line sort of slows this deck's speed down. You'd primarily want to be focusing your energy on loading up a Lugia or two.
Deoxys Drop? I've found it to be overkill at times, having both Deoxys as bench warming and the pumpkins doing all the work. I've considered dropping Deoxys out entirely and possibly replacing it with more consistency or other basics like Chandy EX but I have yet to test that out.
A deck this extreme can easily hit some bumps right now-things like Plasma/Fairy/Landy and Garbo variants shut this out pretty fast. But just like the current format Plasma decks, never underestimate the power of getting a T2-T3 Gale going.
Bicycle Away!
Kalyst
Pikachu RC/Raichu XY-
A free retreat attacker that can swing for 100 on a full bench with a DCE? Count me in! Though trying to squeeze any sort of Stage 1 line sort of slows this deck's speed down. You'd primarily want to be focusing your energy on loading up a Lugia or two.
Deoxys Drop? I've found it to be overkill at times, having both Deoxys as bench warming and the pumpkins doing all the work. I've considered dropping Deoxys out entirely and possibly replacing it with more consistency or other basics like Chandy EX but I have yet to test that out.
A deck this extreme can easily hit some bumps right now-things like Plasma/Fairy/Landy and Garbo variants shut this out pretty fast. But just like the current format Plasma decks, never underestimate the power of getting a T2-T3 Gale going.
Bicycle Away!
Kalyst
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