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Darkrai/Hydreigon

What should I use? Dark Claw or Eviolite

  • Dark Claw

    Votes: 3 12.0%
  • Eviolite

    Votes: 22 88.0%

  • Total voters
    25

Pope

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Hey guys,

in my efforts to make my Darkrai/Hydregion deck more reliable, I have come across a question that I don't exactly have the immediate answer too.

The question is simple: Should I run Dark Claw or Eviolite?

My deck is currently:
-------------------------------------------------
3 Darkrai
3 Deino
1 Zwelious
3 Hydregion
3 Sigilyph
3 Sableye

2 N
2 Cilan
2 Bianca
2 Cheren
2 Rare Candy
4 Max Potion
4 Pokemon Catcher
3 Dark Patch
2 Pokemon Communication
2 Energy Search
3 Ultra Ball
2 Dark Claw

3 {P} Energy
7 {D} Energy
4 {P}{R}{G}{D} Blend Energy
-------------------------------------------------

Now I have yet too lose a game with this deck, I have played around 30 games using this build, and I am an aggressive player, I have a great dislike for sitting around and being on the defensive. So to me, Dark Claw makes perfect sense.

A friend of mine however, pointed out that maybe I should be happy with the 90 damage from night spear and run Eviolite. The benefit against Mewtwo, which is a heavily played card in my meta and indeed pretty much everywhere, can't be ignored. Subtracting 40 damage from X-Ball seems to be very good.

So I wanted to ask some people who will be better placed to answer my question. What do you think I should run? All opinions are greatly welcomed, but please give me a reason when you voice it. I'm after some food for thought.

Cheers,

Pope.
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

30 games... I'd like to break that streak :D Which I'm quite sure I could.

I'd say use eviolite instead. 90 damage is enough to 2HKO everything, and the 20 damage extra doesn't make a difference in most situations between OHKOing and 2HKOing, though Dark Claw can kinda 'ignore' an opponent's eviolite.
As you pointed out, eviolite on Darkrai will be a huge pain to Mewtwo. Also it'll make sure that your opponent can't 2HKO with Darkrai in a mirrormatch. It take away Terrakion's ability to OHKO your Darkrai, and especially when the opponent is using attacks with low damage output it's even better.
Say your opponent is using Zekrom EX as a starter. A unlucky Glinting Claw followed by a Strong Volt will result in 30+130 dmg, making it a 3HKO.
Also helpful against Garchomp. If they have 2 Altarias they will need 3 attack to KO you with Mach Cut. If they got 1 they will need 4 Mach Cuts. If you can manage to keep all their Altarias away they will need to use Mach Cut 5 times!
Things like Thundurus and Tornadus will also need to attack 4 times if you have eviolite.

Making your opponent use an extra turn everytime they won't to KO your Darkrai is game winning. Especially when you have the option to use Max Potion and make them start all over again.
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

I'd run Eviolite, Dark Claw doesn't make a huge difference, whereas Eviolite can save you from Terrakion OHKOs and can turn a fellow Night Spear 2HKO into a 3HKO. But it just preference.
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

Cheers guys.

I'll have to give the Eviolite a run. I have had the feeling that the dark claw wasn't needed for a while, but the aggro player in my kept telling me the extra 20 damage was needed.

Pope.
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

But does the aggro player of yours have a 30 game win streak? :p
Try to ask him what he need it for...
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

Dark Claw helps in very limited situations, and Eviolite tends to work better. Claw works if your playing against Garbodor, if they have something that's Eviolited and you need to KO it, or something like the double KO on Garchomp or Terrakion. Eviolite helps in EVERY matchup, and being a player of this deck I've won matches simply because of Eviolite. While the advantages of Dark Claw may seem good, Eviolite is simply better due to adding survivability to Darkrai.

I also have some other suggestions that would improve your deck, but let me know if you want to hear them.
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

Simwar said:
But does the aggro player of yours have a 30 game win streak? :p
Try to ask him what he need it for...

I know it seems rather like that statement makes it sound as if I am rather full of myself, but it is a simple fact. Not saying that some of those games weren't close. Simple fact is that my local meta is predominately Eels and their variants, with a couple of FluffyChomp decks and the occasional rogue deck floating around. Once you know how to take them apart, it's not a problem to beat them.

Blah said:
Dark Claw helps in very limited situations, and Eviolite tends to work better. Claw works if your playing against Garbodor, if they have something that's Eviolited and you need to KO it, or something like the double KO on Garchomp or Terrakion. Eviolite helps in EVERY matchup, and being a player of this deck I've won matches simply because of Eviolite. While the advantages of Dark Claw may seem good, Eviolite is simply better due to adding survivability to Darkrai.

I also have some other suggestions that would improve your deck, but let me know if you want to here them.

Cheers Blah, always happy to take comments on my deck. I am gearing up for a qualifier for a Season Championship that a local game store is running in December and I intend to go to the Battle Roads that are within my scope to attend. I am confident in my play and in the deck, but I am always looking at was to tweak it.

Thanks,

Pope
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

As you're probably finding/will find out, Eviolite is better.

Also...3 Sigilyph?
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

This belongs in the Deck Garage. The topic of Dark Claw vs Eviolite can be discussed in a separate thread.

*MOVED*
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

Here is one reason why dark claw could be useful.. You do 110 dmg with darkrai and 30 dmg on bench, if enemy is playing the stage 2 deck like garchomp or empoleon deck then you can do the next thing, 110 dmg on 1 garchomp/empoleon and 30 on other, then catcher the 30 dmg one next turn to do the double KO, sweet right? But on the other hand eviolite saves you in many situations and dark claw is more of a nuker than a savior. Now is up to you if you want to play nuke deck but less defense or playing eviolite to increase your endurance. :)
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

You playing no Professor Juniper?
Would drop a psychic energy and 2 Cilean for 3 Professor Juniper and please stock up your Rare Candies to at least 3!
So maybe drop a Bianca or Cheren for your third Rare Candy.

Juniper let's you discard darkness energies you can regain fast with dark patch, also you draw much faster through your deck.

And eviolite, think pkolaboy said everything needed. ^^
 
RE: Dark Claw or Eviolite?

Eviolite = 2HKO by Terrakion, Darkclaw = 1HKO by Terrakion. End of story...
 
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