I bumped into an interesting deck today.

[Pokegen85]

I wanted to see what you all make of it. I sussed out the player's strategy early on and was able to defeat him handily. I'm glad I included multiple ways to get around the ol' Hoopa wall stall and recoup discarded energy, or else he would've had me before I drew my last prizes. I was down to one prize card to his six when he conceded, and I still had sixteen cards in my deck. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

 

Deck Name: Trololol Deck That I Defeated

Pokémon - 9

* 4 Hoopa SLG 55
* 1 Xurkitree-GX PR-SM SM68
* 1 Celesteela-GX UPR 162
* 3 Wishiwashi-GX GRI 38

Trainer Cards - 50

* 2 Lusamine CIN 96
* 2 Pokémon Fan Club FCO 107
* 1 Team Skull Grunt SUM 133
* 3 Pal Pad UPR 132
* 2 Gladion CIN 95
* 3 Acerola BUS 112
* 2 Team Flare Grunt XY 129
* 2 Crushing Hammer GEN 60
* 3 Team Rocket's Handiwork FCO 112
* 2 Nest Ball SUM 123
* 3 Random Receiver FCO 109
* 1 Volkner UPR 135
* 2 Skyla BKT 148
* 2 Field Blower GRI 125
* 2 Guzma BUS 115
* 2 Enhanced Hammer GRI 124
* 2 Counter Catcher CIN 91
* 2 Parallel City BKT 145
* 4 N FCO 105
* 1 Red Card GEN 71
* 1 Plumeria BUS 120
* 1 Mars UPR 128
* 1 Delinquent BKP 98
* 4 Max Potion GRI 128

 

Energy - 1

* 1 Lightning Energy  4

Total Cards - 60

[Mod_Turtle]

Hey Pokegen85,

 

That's an interesting deck you faced. Were there any really tricky spots against this deck? What changes would you make to this deck if you think it could be better?

 

I'd like to hear your feedback on this!

 

Thanks!

[Felidae_]

It looks like a pretty bad version of Wailord where someone decided to cut Wailord, due to the “heavy grass type hitters” in the current format. Can't really see anything unique about it tbh.

[SuperStone]

So it's a combination of stall decks, eh?  In all honesty, that probably makes it worse; it gives the opponent a lot more options to guzma into.  The real hope with stall decks is usually that even if they play something to switch, it won't help them.  They also have a lot of weird trainer choices- like that single red card. Usually a card you hope to play T1, and thus run a lot of.

 

So it's clearly a stalling deck, but not a very good one, I don't think.  Sounds like you didn't have any trouble beating it, either.

Edited November 19, 2018 by SuperStone

[Sakura150612]

One thing that (sometimes) work against stall decks, it's to try to beat them at their own game. Try to take as many prizes as possible without discarding too much, don't use any of your Sycamores if you can help it. Save your own Ns and VS Seekers to return your hand to the deck when you have 2 or so cards left. Because you take some prizes and your opponent doesn't, the N will always benefit you in a close game because you draw less cards than your opponent.

 

Granted, you're in for a very, very long war of attrition if you do this. A few weeks ago I did this, and I just barely decked out a stall deck (which is hilarious because I was playing Night March. When I realized what he was doing I stopped discarding and just passed turns unless I had to N). Probably not worth it if you just want the VS Ladder points, but the irony of decking out a stall deck feels amazing xd

[Pokegen85]

One thing that (sometimes) work against stall decks, it's to try to beat them at their own game. Try to take as many prizes as possible without discarding too much, don't use any of your Sycamores if you can help it. Save your own Ns and VS Seekers to return your hand to the deck when you have 2 or so cards left. Because you take some prizes and your opponent doesn't, the N will always benefit you in a close game because you draw less cards than your opponent.

 

Granted, you're in for a very, very long war of attrition if you do this. A few weeks ago I did this, and I just barely decked out a stall deck (which is hilarious because I was playing Night March. When I realized what he was doing I stopped discarding and just passed turns unless I had to N). Probably not worth it if you just want the VS Ladder points, but the irony of decking out a stall deck feels amazing xd

Agreed. Also, stall decks such as these are why I never-e-e-ever (Chris Jericho reference) use Sycamore in my deck anymore. I also feel that the stall deck was a poorly built strategy, because almost every player’s deck comes equipped with a work around for Hoopa or Alolan Ninetales. Another thing to consider is that this could have been closer had I not been attacking with Solgaleo GX. The fact that I was able to one shot his two Wishiwashi GX, and by keeping energy on my Pokémon despite his best efforts to discard them, meant his potions and Acerola were worthless to him.

 

He kept Hoopa out for the remainder of the battle, and all it took from me was one Corona Impact to knock his second stall Pokémon out. After I drew my fifth prize card, he threw in the towel. My deck is pretty much the anti thesis of his deck, but still I wonder how he would have fared if he could’ve answered my attacks with some of his own. He did limit my bench to three spaces. Talk about breaking the walls down! (Another Chris Jericho reference).

[Pokegen85]

Hey Pokegen85,

 

That's an interesting deck you faced. Were there any really tricky spots against this deck? What changes would you make to this deck if you think it could be better?

 

I'd like to hear your feedback on this!

 

Thanks!

I would definitely try to find a way to sneak Sylveon GX into that deck if it were mine. Plea GX hits many decks that require multiple turns to set up (like mine does) hard. If he had been able to put the energy back into my hand after I used Sol Burst GX and then used an N during the next turn, he might have stood a chance, especially since he was skimming cards off of the top of my deck with Team Rocket's Handiwork.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Pokegen85

[Sakura150612]

Agreed. Also, stall decks such as these are why I never-e-e-ever (Chris Jericho reference) use Sycamore in my deck anymore. I also feel that the stall deck was a poorly built strategy, because almost every player’s deck comes equipped with a work around for Hoopa or Alolan Ninetales. Another thing to consider is that this could have been closer had I not been attacking with Solgaleo GX. The fact that I was able to one shot his two Wishiwashi GX, and by keeping energy on my Pokémon despite his best efforts to discard them, meant his potions and Acerola were worthless to him.

 

He kept Hoopa out for the remainder of the battle, and all it took from me was one Corona Impact to knock his second stall Pokémon out. After I drew my fifth prize card, he threw in the towel. My deck is pretty much the anti thesis of his deck, but still I wonder how he would have fared if he could’ve answered my attacks with some of his own. He did limit my bench to three spaces. Talk about breaking the walls down! (Another Chris Jericho reference).

Yeah, that;s how it goes don with stall decks that depend on super high HP Pokemon. If for one reason or another you can OHKO them, the strategy goes down in flames.

 

Personally I think Sableye does a better job at stalling. They slowly strangle you out of resources, and they have plenty of time to do so because you only take 1 prize at a time, or even 0 since they typically use and recycle Life Dew.

[Pokegen85]

Yeah, that;s how it goes don with stall decks that depend on super high HP Pokemon. If for one reason or another you can OHKO them, the strategy goes down in flames.

 

Personally I think Sableye does a better job at stalling. They slowly strangle you out of resources, and they have plenty of time to do so because you only take 1 prize at a time, or even 0 since they typically use and recycle Life Dew.

With the advent of Lost Thunder, there’s a more economical way to ensure your opponent takes no prize cards when knocking you out. It involves using Shedinja LOT’s ability to turn itself into an item card, and having a reliable way of pulling that Pokémon out of your discard pile. This new card might even be better than Life Dew, because players are only allowed one Ace Spec card per deck, and as such it can only be applied to one Pokémon at a time. Shedinja can cover your active and up to three benched Pokémon, giving players that can use it greater utility.

[Sakura150612]

With the advent of Lost Thunder, there’s a more economical way to ensure your opponent takes no prize cards when knocking you out. It involves using Shedinja LOT’s ability to turn itself into an item card, and having a reliable way of pulling that Pokémon out of your discard pile. This new card might even be better than Life Dew, because players are only allowed one Ace Spec card per deck, and as such it can only be applied to one Pokémon at a time. Shedinja can cover your active and up to three benched Pokémon, giving players that can use it greater utility.

Yes, I'm aware of Shedinja LOT, but I think it's easier for Sableye to recycle Life Dew since it's an item rather than a Pokemon. You also don't need to evolve anything, so unless you prize both Life Dew and Gladion, getting to the Life Dew isn't that much of a problem.

[SuperStone]

The real beauty of Sableye, in my opinion, is that it can maniupulate trick shovel. You basically control your opponent's draws; unless they have at least two supporters in a row on top of their deck, they'll never escape your lock.

Edited November 20, 2018 by SuperStone

[Sakura150612]

The real beauty of Sableye, in my opinion, is that it can maniupulate trick shovel. You basically control your opponent's draws; unless they have at least two supporters in a row on top of their deck, they'll never escape your lock.

Yeah, they make pretty good use of trick shovel. I saw one such deck that combined it with Hiker to keep discarding the exact cards I needed xd I wasn't even mad, I thought that it was brilliant.

[OrigBitmancer]

Sableye GuR or Sableye CeS?

[Felidae_]

DEX....

[WingsofFire1014]

Yeah, they make pretty good use of trick shovel. I saw one such deck that combined it with Hiker to keep discarding the exact cards I needed xd I wasn't even mad, I thought that it was brilliant.

ah yes. I have faced something like that before. I just sit there in awe and then force myself to congratulate my opponent.