I've been thinking about this since the new Silvally GX was revealed (has Octillery's Abyssal Hand ability), but I want to open a discussion about whether or not Silvally GX becomes something that is potent enough to replace Dedenne GX.
For those who have not seen/are familiar with the card:
I want to start by looking at some pros and cons of both cards.
Dedenne GX
+Is a basic Pokemon that can be slapped down on turn 1 of the game for the ability.
+Gets you to 6 cards in hand every time you play it.
+Fixes bricked hands as a discard draw as opposed to a "draw until you have" type.
+Particularly good in Electric GX decks running EM Radar.
-One time use ability and must be played from hand.
-160 HP dies to the 170 snipe damage of PikaRom's GX attack and Naganadel GX
-Discarding your hand is not the always the best as it can lead to throwing out valuable resources (I still remember the Worlds match where someone Sycamored away 3 VS Seekers on Turn 1 and ended up losing because he couldn't recycle supporters later in the game).
Silvally GX
+Has a repeatable ability that, if played in multiples, can be used multiple times per turn as well.
+2 colorless cost on attacks makes it usuable as back up attacker in any deck, including a potential freebie on any Ultra Beast.
+210 HP is high enough to disable 170 bench damage sniping which makes it a much safer bench sitter.
+Laughs at Reset Stamp's face.
-Stage 1 Pokemon which adds clutter to any deck. 1/1 lines are usually too thin and inconsistent while 2/2 lines eat up a lot of space. Running 2/1 feels terrible with the 1 is prized.
-The ability is useless when you brick and can't play down lower than 5.
-Harder to set up since non-GX Pokemon are harder to find nowadays.
Things that both of them do:
1. Both are GX Pokemon able to get snatched up by Great Catcher (which will be out by the time Silvally GX is out which is why I mention it) as two "free prizes." But if your opponent has the freedom to KO either Dedenne GX or Silvally GX any sooner than as the last 2 prizes of the game, then that means you aren't applying pressure and are losing because of other reasons.
2. Both are weak to Fighting, so there is never a concern of one being better than the other due to the typing saturation of any format.
3. Both can be found by Cherish Ball.
I'm not taking Silvally GX's Pokemon Tools into account because that requires significant deck space reworking and is not relevant to the discussion of playing it as a utility Pokemon. If you're playing the Tools, you're focusing more on the attack than the ability - I'm more interested in the ability.
As for my current stance, I think exactly only EM Radar decks should be holding onto Dedenne GX after Silvally GX releases. I think that single convenience makes it worth it for the speed. Otherwise, 1/1 or 2/2 Silvally GX is the way to go.
I think that Professor Oak's Setting has reason to become the new best turn 1 supporter which is why I think Silvally GX is a worthwhile replacement. There are currently no particularly meta relevant normal type Pokemon, and every deck is already running their primary type which is 2/3 types to satisfy the play conditions. If you have good reason to run a 3rd type (oh, for example TinaChomp, Inkay, Type: Null) then you have yourself a really good start to a set up, particularly in an environment where searching for Pokemon is no longer easy or universal.
Would like to hear what other people are thinking about the topic.
For those who have not seen/are familiar with the card:
Silvally-GX – Colorless – HP210
Stage 1 – Evolves from Type: Null
Ability: Disc Reload
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may draw cards from your deck until you have 5 cards in your hand.
[C][C] Buddy Brave: 50+ damage. If you played a Supporter card from your hand during your turn, this attack does 70 more damage.
[C][C] White Knight GX: If your opponent’s Active Pokemon is an Ultra Beast, that Pokemon is Knocked Out. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your Pokemon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
Stage 1 – Evolves from Type: Null
Ability: Disc Reload
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may draw cards from your deck until you have 5 cards in your hand.
[C][C] Buddy Brave: 50+ damage. If you played a Supporter card from your hand during your turn, this attack does 70 more damage.
[C][C] White Knight GX: If your opponent’s Active Pokemon is an Ultra Beast, that Pokemon is Knocked Out. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
When your Pokemon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
I want to start by looking at some pros and cons of both cards.
Dedenne GX
+Is a basic Pokemon that can be slapped down on turn 1 of the game for the ability.
+Gets you to 6 cards in hand every time you play it.
+Fixes bricked hands as a discard draw as opposed to a "draw until you have" type.
+Particularly good in Electric GX decks running EM Radar.
-One time use ability and must be played from hand.
-160 HP dies to the 170 snipe damage of PikaRom's GX attack and Naganadel GX
-Discarding your hand is not the always the best as it can lead to throwing out valuable resources (I still remember the Worlds match where someone Sycamored away 3 VS Seekers on Turn 1 and ended up losing because he couldn't recycle supporters later in the game).
Silvally GX
+Has a repeatable ability that, if played in multiples, can be used multiple times per turn as well.
+2 colorless cost on attacks makes it usuable as back up attacker in any deck, including a potential freebie on any Ultra Beast.
+210 HP is high enough to disable 170 bench damage sniping which makes it a much safer bench sitter.
+Laughs at Reset Stamp's face.
-Stage 1 Pokemon which adds clutter to any deck. 1/1 lines are usually too thin and inconsistent while 2/2 lines eat up a lot of space. Running 2/1 feels terrible with the 1 is prized.
-The ability is useless when you brick and can't play down lower than 5.
-Harder to set up since non-GX Pokemon are harder to find nowadays.
Things that both of them do:
1. Both are GX Pokemon able to get snatched up by Great Catcher (which will be out by the time Silvally GX is out which is why I mention it) as two "free prizes." But if your opponent has the freedom to KO either Dedenne GX or Silvally GX any sooner than as the last 2 prizes of the game, then that means you aren't applying pressure and are losing because of other reasons.
2. Both are weak to Fighting, so there is never a concern of one being better than the other due to the typing saturation of any format.
3. Both can be found by Cherish Ball.
I'm not taking Silvally GX's Pokemon Tools into account because that requires significant deck space reworking and is not relevant to the discussion of playing it as a utility Pokemon. If you're playing the Tools, you're focusing more on the attack than the ability - I'm more interested in the ability.
As for my current stance, I think exactly only EM Radar decks should be holding onto Dedenne GX after Silvally GX releases. I think that single convenience makes it worth it for the speed. Otherwise, 1/1 or 2/2 Silvally GX is the way to go.
I think that Professor Oak's Setting has reason to become the new best turn 1 supporter which is why I think Silvally GX is a worthwhile replacement. There are currently no particularly meta relevant normal type Pokemon, and every deck is already running their primary type which is 2/3 types to satisfy the play conditions. If you have good reason to run a 3rd type (oh, for example TinaChomp, Inkay, Type: Null) then you have yourself a really good start to a set up, particularly in an environment where searching for Pokemon is no longer easy or universal.
Would like to hear what other people are thinking about the topic.