Discussion Malamar’s Last Stand

Mysticvulpix

Just be chill
Member
If you want to improve the blace matchup, you should play dawn wings.
If you have mew on bench, they usually can't do any damage on their beast ring turn, bar custom catchers.
This puts you ahead on the prize trade and you then win (as long as you don't miss an attack).
Invasion even makes it super easy to pull off turn 2. Just get 2 mally in play with 2 energy in discard. No switch needed!

(I play it with ultra so I can just KO 2 more times after the dawn wings)
Interesting, I’ll have to check that out!
 

Mysticvulpix

Just be chill
Member
Hey everyone! I’ve been getting great responses, and I have a HUGE question: what malamar variant do YOU recommend?
Options are:
Pure psychic non gx
Ultra mally
TinaChomp
MallyMewBox
If there’s another thing you have, let me know!
 

AngryBokoblin

Guzzlord is fun
Member
Hey everyone! I’ve been getting great responses, and I have a HUGE question: what malamar variant do YOU recommend?
Options are:
Pure psychic non gx
Ultra mally
TinaChomp
MallyMewBox
If there’s another thing you have, let me know!
Mally Box is the best.
It's pure psychic AND ultra all in one.
Well, without the spell tags.
Unfortunately.
 

AngryBokoblin

Guzzlord is fun
Member
Oh boy, the spell tags are crucial.
Also, would you consider the new trevenant and dusknoir in the deck?
Spell tags are really good, I admit.
Trevnoir is interesting.
It has potential, that's for sure.
I can imagine it with tina, morty, stamps, and chip chip ice axe.
Give up 2 tina and then go in with 2 trevnoir for the rest of the game.
Still think that latios would be good in it, though.
Maybe some scoop ups?
Jessie and James with weezing?
IDK, once the whole set is revealed, I'll start testing.
 

AngryBokoblin

Guzzlord is fun
Member
What's your thoughts in stopping blacephalon? Is the new tapu fini any good?
In a tina deck, I think fini is a good counter to blace. Well, more importantly, it's a good counter to heatran. Because heatran doesn't have to lost zone 3 to KO tina.
That's why Shintaro played 2 of them. For the tina matchup. In an ultra necrozma deck, I would go with dawn wings because you have enough firepower for a follow-up KO. I have no idea about in tinachomp, though. I haven't really played with that this season (yet).
 

judda94

Aspiring Trainer
Member
In a tina deck, I think fini is a good counter to blace. Well, more importantly, it's a good counter to heatran. Because heatran doesn't have to lost zone 3 to KO tina.
That's why Shintaro played 2 of them. For the tina matchup. In an ultra necrozma deck, I would go with dawn wings because you have enough firepower for a follow-up KO. I have no idea about in tinachomp, though. I haven't really played with that this season (yet).

I have been playing TinaChomp and its ok, but most of my play is online where you come across some weird decks. It plays well against the big meta decks other than Belcephalon which it struggles with because of the pace. I'm not sure about Espeon & Deoxys TTGX I prefer Gengar and Mimikyu TTGX against Mew3 although I don't like that its taking a chance by requiring your opponent to have 3 items in hand but for me its quicker to set up. I find I sometimes have dead hands but that could be sorted if I invested in Dedenne or Jirachi.
 

Mysticvulpix

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Member
Ok, I’m considering some options. I’m doing again a check in, any more recommendations on mally variants? I’ve heard the non gx baby necrozma works well, so I’m considering using that and including copies of latios gx, Just in case
 

Dark Espeon

Dark Avatar
Member
Ok, I’m considering some options. I’m doing again a check in, any more recommendations on mally variants? I’ve heard the non gx baby necrozma works well, so I’m considering using that and including copies of latios gx, Just in case

The Necrozma and Giratina varaint will recieve quite some support in the next set with Rosa and possibly Oricorio GX as the single Pokémon GX in the entire deck. Blacephalon is also a nice addition to this deck together with the already used Nihilego. Lana's Fishing Rod is another nice addition to the deck as a tech since it retrieves Spell Tag from the discard and non-GX Malamar benefits a lot from spreading damage counters.
 

Mysticvulpix

Just be chill
Member
The Necrozma and Giratina varaint will recieve quite some support in the next set with Rosa and possibly Oricorio GX as the single Pokémon GX in the entire deck. Blacephalon is also a nice addition to this deck together with the already used Nihilego. Lana's Fishing Rod is another nice addition to the deck as a tech since it retrieves Spell Tag from the discard and non-GX Malamar benefits a lot from spreading damage counters.
Do you have a list for use?
 

Dark Espeon

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Member
Hi Mysticvulpix,

The list is in the deck forum under the name Purple Haze. Rosa helps a lot to stabilize the deck and Recycle Energy is also awesome with Giratina.
 

Mysticvulpix

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Member
Hi Mysticvulpix,

The list is in the deck forum under the name Purple Haze. Rosa helps a lot to stabilize the deck and Recycle Energy is also awesome with Giratina.
Yes! I’ve been running recycle energy in my deck since they are sooooo helpful. You can just double Malamar and grab one recycle, and you’re hitting constant 130-160
 

jamashawalker

Ikouze!
Member
Hey Mystic Vulpix. Thanks for creating this thread.

I'll give some insight to what I think of Malamar in this current metagame.

I see alot of comments around Malamar being that it's too slow/it sucks/inconsistent etc. From playing it this entire metagame I can never put my finger on why those comments were accurate ti'll I played Mewthree Box that won worlds+Tord's Reshizard list. And they both opened my eyes to realize, Malamar is none of those previous comments WELDER IS JUST THAT OP. Welder turns decks into a "LOL You can't do 150 damage on turn 1 what kind of deck are you?" Welder can always give you an attacker on the fly even if there are no energy on the field.

While Malamar isn't as fast as them nor pikarom, if you can get attacking by turn 2, you have an amazing match up vs tier 1 decks. Most decks atm aren't teching for Malamar and if they are, you have ways around them.
 

Mysticvulpix

Just be chill
Member
Hey Mystic Vulpix. Thanks for creating this thread.

I'll give some insight to what I think of Malamar in this current metagame.

I see alot of comments around Malamar being that it's too slow/it sucks/inconsistent etc. From playing it this entire metagame I can never put my finger on why those comments were accurate ti'll I played Mewthree Box that won worlds+Tord's Reshizard list. And they both opened my eyes to realize, Malamar is none of those previous comments WELDER IS JUST THAT OP. Welder turns decks into a "LOL You can't do 150 damage on turn 1 what kind of deck are you?" Welder can always give you an attacker on the fly even if there are no energy on the field.

While Malamar isn't as fast as them nor pikarom, if you can get attacking by turn 2, you have an amazing match up vs tier 1 decks. Most decks atm aren't teching for Malamar and if they are, you have ways around them.
thanks Jamashwalker! Do you have any preferred types or decklists?
 

FourteenAlmonds

Helipotile
Member
I'm going to a league cup/challenge on the weekend (can't remember which) and I don't have any Jirachi.

Is it worth running a 2-2 line of Zebstrika instead (plus Ditto [*]), and how important are Escape Boards and Switches without Jirachi?
 

Mysticvulpix

Just be chill
Member
I'm going to a league cup/challenge on the weekend (can't remember which) and I don't have any Jirachi.

Is it worth running a 2-2 line of Zebstrika instead (plus Ditto [*]), and how important are Escape Boards and Switches without Jirachi?
Switches are worthwhile addition, not so much escape board. However, it’s not to reliable to not have jirachi, it’s pratically a necessity in this deck. The idea of running zebistrika might work, just playtest it first so that you know it won’t affect mally lines or won’t get sniped
 

AngryBokoblin

Guzzlord is fun
Member
I'm going to a league cup/challenge on the weekend (can't remember which) and I don't have any Jirachi.

Is it worth running a 2-2 line of Zebstrika instead (plus Ditto [*]), and how important are Escape Boards and Switches without Jirachi?

Do you have dedes?
If so, make a dede engine with cherish and a few other GXs like latios, tinachomp/ultra, and espeoxys.
Then you have more consistency with p. comms and have extra dig off dede.

Keep the escape boards/switches though.
 

Missilistico

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Hey guys, I decided some days ago I'll be playing Malamar as a canonical deck in standard. I see the psychic one as the most interesting version. What do you think about Hapu as a supporter? And do you prefere Acro Bike or Custom Catcher?
 

Mysticvulpix

Just be chill
Member
Hey guys, I decided some days ago I'll be playing Malamar as a canonical deck in standard. I see the psychic one as the most interesting version. What do you think about Hapu as a supporter? And do you prefere Acro Bike or Custom Catcher?
I prefer acro bike, as it allows for you to use Cynthia later on for better hand chances. Most lists play 4. With custom catchers, depends what you sacrifice for it. I played three, but if you play things like espur and espeon deoxys you don’t need them as much.
 
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