Darkrai/Absol

[smeargleman]

I want to make a Darkrai deck, but I'm not too sure exactly what to put in it. Here is my initial list.

10 Pokemon

3 Darkrai EX
3 Absol
4 Sableye

12 Supporters

4 Juniper
3 N
3 Skyla
2 Bianca

26 Items

Computer Search
4 Catcher
4 Ultra Ball
3 Enhanced Hammer
3 Dark Claw
3 Dark Patch
3 Energy Switch
3 Switch
2 Random Receiver

12 Dark Energy

I did a little bit of reading and I see that HTL is a common thing to put in, but since Virizion EX is coming out soon, I figure that HTL is going to see a lot less play, and I want this deck to last a little longer. I think Absol is a decent attacker, so I put in 3. I put him in along with the 3 enhanced hammers to deal with TDK better. I was thinking adding Dusknoir or Hydreigon, but I don't want to run a Stage 2 deck.

I'm not exactly sure how to play Darkrai, but from what I can understand, it is try to start with Sableye, discard dark energies, and use dark patch for energy acceleration. I know energy switch is a staple in this deck but I don't really know why. And Sableye is for junk hunt. The dark claw is do more damage.

I think this version of this deck is flimsy and I would like some help on it, please.

 

[Defz3r0]

*snip* I know energy switch is a staple in this deck but I don't really know why.*snip*

I can take this part.

Energy Switch is a neat trick that can allow for even earlier attacks. For example, you could start Sableye, discard two Dark energies to Ultra Ball to search for Darkrai EX, bench it, attach another Dark energy to Sableye, Dark Patch those two discarded energies to that benched Darkrai, retreat Sableye for free thanks to Darkrais ability and Energy Switch Sableyes energy to your newly Active Darkrai and Night Spear on the first turn!

Obviously in that perfect scenario you've also got a Dark Claw from somewhere.

But I suppose the short answer is "It allows for silly energy manipulation allowing you out of sticky situations and enables more efficient energy usage."

 

[King Arceus]

I'd drop 1 Switch for a Keldeo EX. This will help if your opponent flips heads on HTL and you don't wake up. It also is helpful for those times when you need to switch twice in a turn to get rid of a status condition such as poison.

 

[littywitty]

Personal changes:
-1 Absol (3 is just a little overkill. Even 2 is kind of stretching it a little. This card is bloody good in this deck, don't get me wrong, but knowing that this card isn't going to be good in all match-ups just makes the card float at 2 as the perfect amount.)
-1 Sableye (4 is a good of number as three, but that's just it, 4 is just as good as 3, meaning you should aim more towards 3 to find more deck space for other cards.)
-2 Skyla (Don't make this out to be a great card in this deck, I used to think so myself but then I thought, "If I had any other supporter in hand, I would rather use that." Because this deck usually requires more than one card t pull of a good play. One is good number because I didn't want go all the way down to zero with this card because it's nice to have the option to options.)
-3 Enhanced Hammer (the only match-up this card is good for is plasma as you probably already know, but I found that this card slowed down my deck immensely and made it less consistent. Plus, Thundurus does regain energy from the discard and people are starting to run a few basic energy in their plasma builds, making it overall, an anchor to a speedboat.)
-1 Dark Claw (3 is a little overkill, it's really an ugly card to see in your opening hand, and there are just better cards to put in, it's kind of a breif explanation, but that's all it needs.)
-3 Switch (the only match-up this card will be good in is against Snorlax. Besides that, Keldeo is just so much better with it being an ability rather than an item against Gothitelle/Accelgor and supplies all the switches you need.)
-1 Random Reciever (One of these is good enough considering you only run it because you have Sableye in your deck, besides that, it's just better to run either more supporter or something else. So it kind of limits yourself to a chance.)
-1 Dark Energy (This card is a little iffy to take out because I always love to see energy in my opening hand. The only reason you run more energy in this deck is because you have trouble drawing into them in which 12 is not overkill but can just as easily do without it.)

+1-2 Keldeo EX (This card is just amazing in this deck as a rush in support and gets you out of so many situations. The reason I would maybe run 2 is for the Gothitelle/Accelgor match-up. If there was another way to beat it besides running any pokemon, I would do that, but in the case of running pokemon to counter it, another Keldeo is the best contender as it just slides into the deck and also makes up for the prize card situation. Overall, see how much Gothitelle/Accelgor is used in your area and make your decision based on that.)
+1 N (...)
+1 Dark Patch (...)
+2 Bicycle (This card is great in this deck and acts as a mini supporter and really gives the deck the speed it needs for those T2 night spears.)
+4 Hypnotoxic Laser (You probably heard this from other players but It just helps this deck hit magic numbers, deal that damage it needs to, and makes a stall card as an extra kick. And I wouldn't let Virizion take you away from it, because 1: this is one match-up that will see as a tier 1.5. 2: a simple catcher on something without energy will make it fine.)
+2 Virbank City Gym (For laser)
+1 Energy Search (I love this card in this deck because it's practically an energy you can junk hunt for. In the early game this card is almost as good as Computer Search when you junk hunt for it T1 and gets you energy in the discard and if you need one to attach for turn.)

 

[Mora]

Personal changes:
-1 Absol (3 is just a little overkill. Even 2 is kind of stretching it a little. This card is bloody good in this deck, don't get me wrong, but knowing that this card isn't going to be good in all match-ups just makes the card float at 2 as the perfect amount.)
-1 Sableye (4 is a good of number as three, but that's just it, 4 is just as good as 3, meaning you should aim more towards 3 to find more deck space for other cards.)
-2 Skyla (Don't make this out to be a great card in this deck, I used to think so myself but then I thought, "If I had any other supporter in hand, I would rather use that." Because this deck usually requires more than one card t pull of a good play. One is good number because I didn't want go all the way down to zero with this card because it's nice to have the option to options.)
-3 Enhanced Hammer (the only match-up this card is good for is plasma as you probably already know, but I found that this card slowed down my deck immensely and made it less consistent. Plus, Thundurus does regain energy from the discard and people are starting to run a few basic energy in their plasma builds, making it overall, an anchor to a speedboat.)
-1 Dark Claw (3 is a little overkill, it's really an ugly card to see in your opening hand, and there are just better cards to put in, it's kind of a breif explanation, but that's all it needs.)
-3 Switch (the only match-up this card will be good in is against Snorlax. Besides that, Keldeo is just so much better with it being an ability rather than an item against Gothitelle/Accelgor and supplies all the switches you need.)
-1 Random Reciever (One of these is good enough considering you only run it because you have Sableye in your deck, besides that, it's just better to run either more supporter or something else. So it kind of limits yourself to a chance.)
-1 Dark Energy (This card is a little iffy to take out because I always love to see energy in my opening hand. The only reason you run more energy in this deck is because you have trouble drawing into them in which 12 is not overkill but can just as easily do without it.)

+1-2 Keldeo EX (This card is just amazing in this deck as a rush in support and gets you out of so many situations. The reason I would maybe run 2 is for the Gothitelle/Accelgor match-up. If there was another way to beat it besides running any pokemon, I would do that, but in the case of running pokemon to counter it, another Keldeo is the best contender as it just slides into the deck and also makes up for the prize card situation. Overall, see how much Gothitelle/Accelgor is used in your area and make your decision based on that.)
+1 N (...)
+1 Dark Patch (...)
+2 Bicycle (This card is great in this deck and acts as a mini supporter and really gives the deck the speed it needs for those T2 night spears.)
+4 Hypnotoxic Laser (You probably heard this from other players but It just helps this deck hit magic numbers, deal that damage it needs to, and makes a stall card as an extra kick. And I wouldn't let Virizion take you away from it, because 1: this is one match-up that will see as a tier 1.5. 2: a simple catcher on something without energy will make it fine.)
+2 Virbank City Gym (For laser)
+1 Energy Search (I love this card in this deck because it's practically an energy you can junk hunt for. In the early game this card is almost as good as Computer Search when you junk hunt for it T1 and gets you energy in the discard and if you need one to attach for turn.)

That's... spot on. Do what he said! (except I personally like heavy Absol)

Also, I've seen people (good players actually) play Rock Guard as their Ace Spec in Darkrai. Not sure why exactly, I guess taking 60 to knock out an Absol kind of annoying. I heard one of the Plasma lists that made it really far into Master's top cut used Life Dew, so I guess the idea of running those Tool Ace Specs over Computer Search or Scramble Switch isn't that terrible.

 

[AlexanderTheAwesome]

Here's my opinion

-3 Switch - Free retreat through darkness energy
+2 Keldeo EX - Helps with status conditions
+1 Dark Patch - Acclerate dem energies

-3 Enhanced Hammer
-1 Absol - 3 is overkill

-2 Skyla - one should be sufficient
-1 Sableye - 4 is overkill

+4 Hypnotoxic laser - damage output is higher
+2 virbank City Gym
+1 Colress - awesome draw

-1 Darkness Energy
+1 Energy Search - this allows you to junk hunt for an energy.

-1 ultra Ball
+1 Computer Search - YOU DONT HAVE AN ACE SPEC D: D: D: D:

Hope I helped