Hello!
I started playing PTCG about a year ago online and have never actually bought the cards to play in person. Just now I've decided to purchase the physical cards to make a deck so I can start playing at local tournaments. As the 2018 standard format is approaching and new things are still being played around with, I've been having difficulties deciding what deck I can stick with for a while so I won't have to purchase a whole new deck later on.
I've been mainly playing Garbodor variants and have grown comfortable with decks such as Espeon GX/Garb, Zoroark/Drampa, and plain ol Drampa/Garb. I grew a little impatient before the start of the new format and purchased the following cards.
x4 Trubbish BKT
x3 Trashlanche Garb
x1 Garbotoxin Garb
x3 Drampa GX
x3 Tapu Lele GX
x4 Professor Sycamore
x4 N
x3 Guzma
x1 Brigette
x2 Acerola
x4 Ultra Ball
x4 Choice Band
x4 Float Stone
x2 Po Town
x1 Rescue Stretcher
x2 Field Blower
x4 DCE
x4 Rainbow Energy
x5 Psychic
If I decide to stick with a Drampa/Garb deck (which may not be as strong of a deck post-rotation), I would probably:
+1 Rescue Stretcher (I feel that with VS Seeker gone, Rescue Stretcher sort of acts as a VS Seeker for Pokemon, allowing Pokemon to be used as discard fodder rather than Supporters for our Ultra Balls)
-1 Psychic
-1 Choice Band
-1 Acerola
Totaling at 56 cards.
Based on recent play online and play testing with other decks, the Remoraid/Octillery line-up is an extremely powerful line-up this format to speed up play in this new, slower format. I'm considering adding a x1 Remoraid/x1 Octillery line-up into the deck but may conflict with the Garbotoxin strategy. Both options in the deck can be powerful as well.
I've also considered changing from a x3/x1 Garbodor line-up to the x2 Trashlanche/x2 Garbotoxin line-up, especially in a format where Gardevoir GX and other meta decks rely heavily on Abilities. Again, this may conflict with the Remo/Oct line-up I've been contemplated on adding.
A simple change that is worth testing would be to add another x1 Guzma and x1 Brigette, totaling at 58 cards, 60 if the Remo/Oct is included.
x1 Tapu Koko Promo is also a possibility but have found it to be cloggy with the other basic pokemon.
Please share your thoughts on how I can make this deck work out better post-rotation or if I should just purchase the few other cards needed to either make a Esp/Garb or Zoro/Drampa (if competitive with the meta) deck from the cards that I already have. I know that the Goli/Garb is gaining some popularity right now but I would prefer to stick with any of the variants mentioned above. I may however, change my mind later on.
Thanks!
I started playing PTCG about a year ago online and have never actually bought the cards to play in person. Just now I've decided to purchase the physical cards to make a deck so I can start playing at local tournaments. As the 2018 standard format is approaching and new things are still being played around with, I've been having difficulties deciding what deck I can stick with for a while so I won't have to purchase a whole new deck later on.
I've been mainly playing Garbodor variants and have grown comfortable with decks such as Espeon GX/Garb, Zoroark/Drampa, and plain ol Drampa/Garb. I grew a little impatient before the start of the new format and purchased the following cards.
x4 Trubbish BKT
x3 Trashlanche Garb
x1 Garbotoxin Garb
x3 Drampa GX
x3 Tapu Lele GX
x4 Professor Sycamore
x4 N
x3 Guzma
x1 Brigette
x2 Acerola
x4 Ultra Ball
x4 Choice Band
x4 Float Stone
x2 Po Town
x1 Rescue Stretcher
x2 Field Blower
x4 DCE
x4 Rainbow Energy
x5 Psychic
If I decide to stick with a Drampa/Garb deck (which may not be as strong of a deck post-rotation), I would probably:
+1 Rescue Stretcher (I feel that with VS Seeker gone, Rescue Stretcher sort of acts as a VS Seeker for Pokemon, allowing Pokemon to be used as discard fodder rather than Supporters for our Ultra Balls)
-1 Psychic
-1 Choice Band
-1 Acerola
Totaling at 56 cards.
Based on recent play online and play testing with other decks, the Remoraid/Octillery line-up is an extremely powerful line-up this format to speed up play in this new, slower format. I'm considering adding a x1 Remoraid/x1 Octillery line-up into the deck but may conflict with the Garbotoxin strategy. Both options in the deck can be powerful as well.
I've also considered changing from a x3/x1 Garbodor line-up to the x2 Trashlanche/x2 Garbotoxin line-up, especially in a format where Gardevoir GX and other meta decks rely heavily on Abilities. Again, this may conflict with the Remo/Oct line-up I've been contemplated on adding.
A simple change that is worth testing would be to add another x1 Guzma and x1 Brigette, totaling at 58 cards, 60 if the Remo/Oct is included.
x1 Tapu Koko Promo is also a possibility but have found it to be cloggy with the other basic pokemon.
Please share your thoughts on how I can make this deck work out better post-rotation or if I should just purchase the few other cards needed to either make a Esp/Garb or Zoro/Drampa (if competitive with the meta) deck from the cards that I already have. I know that the Goli/Garb is gaining some popularity right now but I would prefer to stick with any of the variants mentioned above. I may however, change my mind later on.
Thanks!
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