Discussion Mega Rayquaza EX Counters

I've been testing on PTGO Trevenant with Wally. If you go first, you can potentially get a turn 1 item lock with slows them down. I've also been trying to find a way to stop abilities. Silent Lab may help to stop Shaymin EX from using Setup.
 
Silent Lab is nice as it can block all the basic abilities that speed the deck up, Eggs, Shaymin, and perhaps Jirachi. The problem is this is a stadium against a deck that is stadium reliant.

I can see Aegislash EX slowing down Ray. The deck needs special energy to get quick attacks off. Sure, it can go the Mega Turbo route, but it will need the DCE eventually. The problem is Aegislash EX is too slow of an attacker but an effective ability none-the-less.
 
Silent Lab is nice as it can block all the basic abilities that speed the deck up, Eggs, Shaymin, and perhaps Jirachi. The problem is this is a stadium against a deck that is stadium reliant.

I can see Aegislash EX slowing down Ray. The deck needs special energy to get quick attacks off. Sure, it can go the Mega Turbo route, but it will need the DCE eventually. The problem is Aegislash EX is too slow of an attacker but an effective ability none-the-less.

Silent Lab is not as good as Garbodor, because it only blocks the ability of Shaymin and not Altaria's.
 
After testing M-Rayquaza decks and Gardevoir-EX decks in PTCGO and comparing them w/ each other, I find that Silent Lab + Wally + Ninetales on turn 1 going first(while knowing that Ray is unlikely to get 4 Shaymin-EX, his Spirit Link, Ray's Mega card, AND Skyfield in one turn, all excluding the energy factor, vs. the 6 cards my deck needs to start, again excluding energy: Xerneas, Vulpix, Wally, Silent Lab, Spritzee, and Gardevoir-EX) helps out Mega Gardy so much, that one Geomancy the turn after, given they can't use Shaymin's set up as long as SL is up, enables Mega Gardy to possibly make M Rayquaza pay over time with a second and/or third Gardy to back it up after getting EB smacked after Aromatisse's Fairy Transfer moves the energies out in advance of AZ to keep the energy flowing and at the same time, robbing the foe of two prizes, proving that M-Ray is NOT the BDIF, although some Roaring Skies resemblances are in the deck I used to test...

^ I don't have the M-Rays anymore online, but at least I can show you my new Mega Gardy list:

Pokemon: 16
3-3 Mega Gardevoir(PRC)
2-2 Aromatisse(XY)
2-2 Ninetales(PRC)
2 Xerneas(XY)

Trainers: 31
4 Sycamore
2 AZ
2 Lysandre
2 Wally
2 Fan Club
1 LTC
1 Xerosic
1 Teammates

3 VS Seeker

3 Gardevoir Spirit Link
2 Head Ringer
2 Evosoda
1 Battle Compressor
1 Professor's Letter

2 Fairy Garden
2 Silent Lab

Energy: 13
10 Fairy
3 Fire

^ I believe the above deck is a good M-Ray counter-deck, although it involves Fairies, which are not looking good in Best of 3 + 50 minutes so far, if it's good enough to be among M-Ray's worst match-ups...
 
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I'd like to try this after Roaring Skies is up (actually my son in junior will do).

4 Wobbuffet PHF36
2 Gallade EX RSK34
2 M Gallade EX RSK35
2 Duskull FFI38
2 Dusclops FFI39
2 Dusknoir BCR63
1 Natu RSK28

Dimension Valley
Wally
Evosoda
Mega Turbo
Spirit Link
Ultra Ball
...

Mystery Energy
Basic Energy

Wobbuffet is mainly shutdown Shaymin's drawing power. I wonder how face Ray can go without Shaymin EX. Wobbuffet's only attack is not totally useless. With Dimension Valley and 1 energy Wobbuffet can hit more than 100 damage.

M Gallade EX is the main DPS. Are you scared of Ray's 240 damage? Ideally, M Gallade can hit 110+30*8= 350 damage a turn. And with Dimension Valley she just need 2 energies.
Gallade EX is not useless also. Swift Lunge can push the charged Ray back.

The core of this deck is Dusknoir's Sinister Hand. With this ability you can knock out benched Pokemon(s). Shaymin EX becomes the main target and the weakest point. One hit 350 damage is more than enough to win the game. And with Wally and Evosoda, it's easy to setup stage 2 in 2 turns. Mr. Mime can't stop Sinister Hand.

Natu is a rogue. Sometimes it can give your opponent surprise. Do you think next turn is safe? No way.

The art of this deck is unpredictable. Ray is strong, I admit. But you have to knock out my Pokemon turn by turn. That takes time. I can claim the game suddenly.
 
Running a silent lab with m man. could ruin the deck by playing strategically. If you play your silent lab at the right time, you could cripple the deck.
 
Guys, come on, just use aegislash EX. I run it and despite never having tested against ray (because all my friends are too honourable to resort to a strategy like that) I almost always get an ideal setup turn 1. Plus, Aegislash EX is just the best thing against ray. Usable attack, high HP, and it beats most shredders 1-on-1, and if it doesn't just use Excadrill. Excadrill can even deal with safeguarders himself. Rayquaza's the most broken thing to have ever come out, but aegislash has what it takes to actually be a half-decent defensive deck in this format.
 
Guys, come on, just use aegislash EX. I run it and despite never having tested against ray (because all my friends are too honourable to resort to a strategy like that) I almost always get an ideal setup turn 1. Plus, Aegislash EX is just the best thing against ray. Usable attack, high HP, and it beats most shredders 1-on-1, and if it doesn't just use Excadrill. Excadrill can even deal with safeguarders himself. Rayquaza's the most broken thing to have ever come out, but aegislash has what it takes to actually be a half-decent defensive deck in this format.
Aigeslash EX is a decent counter but from what I've seen it can go like this
M Rayquaza Player goes 1st, does the normal stuff
Opponent sends out Aigeslash EX on their turn, sends it active, attaches DCE, turn ends
M Rayquaza Player sends out Rayquaza EX and uses Intensifying Burn for 60.
Aigeslash then attacks with 99% chance of not OHKO'ing it
Rayquaza evolves into M Rayquaza, attaches energy, Mega Turbo and OHKO'S Aigeslash EX
Even with Ninetales, M Rayquaza can still KO Aigeslash because of how fast it can set up another one with no DCE and even a second one can't avenge KO it (yes with Bronzong it can but that requires you to have at least 2 Bronzongs out on the field).

M Rayquaza is like Siesmotoad, you think this counter is good against it but it doesn't work in the end due to it's Speed or Energy Denial
 
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Aigeslash EX is a decent counter but from what I've seen it can go like this
M Rayquaza Player goes 1st, does the normal stuff
Opponent sends out Aigeslash EX on their turn, sends it active, attaches DCE, turn ends
M Rayquaza Player sends out Rayquaza EX and uses Intensifying Burn for 60.
Aigeslash then attacks with 99% chance of not OHKO'ing it
Rayquaza evolves into M Rayquaza, attaches energy, Mega Turbo and OHKO'S Aigeslash EX
Even with Ninetales, M Rayquaza can still KO Aigeslash because of how fast it can set up another one with no DCE and even a second one can't avenge KO it (yes with Bronzong it can but that requires you to have at least 2 Bronzongs out on the field).

M Rayquaza is like Siesmotoad, you think this counter is good against it but it doesn't work in the end due to it's Speed or Energy Denial
The only counter I can think of is luck. If you go first, start with Phantump and bench Shaymin EX. Draw cards and hopefully use Wally to evolve into Trevenant. Place Virbank as the Stadium and use Hypnotoxic Laser. Also, if you're lucky, you might also have an Enhanced Hammer and Xerosic. Use Xerosic and slap on a Head Ringer then play Enhanced Hammer.
For the rest of the game, play Crushing Hammers, Team Flare Grunt if you have them and Enhanced Hammers. Tree Slam is also pretty good with Muscle Band+HypnoGym.
 
And how are Speedquaza players gonna burn through their deck? Well Ultra Ball, VS Seeker, etc and those are all items. And don't forget the Spirit Link.

Simple. Shaymin, Ultra Ball, Trainer's Mail, Acro Bike, Computer Search, Juniper, Battle Compressor. I've seen my friends playtest a Speedquaza deck and managed to burn 1/3 of their deck rather easily in one turn.

Seismitoad might have a chance if using Quaking Punch, Lasers and all sorts of annoyances like Ringers, Hammers, etc.
 
Toad provides good counters. Toad-Garbador is very good, Toad-Shaymin (a strictly better version of Toad Slurpuff) is very good.

This video shows a match between colorless Rayquaza and Toad-Shaymin, you can see that Toad-Shaymin can shut Rayquaza down just fine:

 
Simple. Shaymin, Ultra Ball, Trainer's Mail, Acro Bike, Computer Search, Juniper, Battle Compressor. I've seen my friends playtest a Speedquaza deck and managed to burn 1/3 of their deck rather easily in one turn.

Seismitoad might have a chance if using Quaking Punch, Lasers and all sorts of annoyances like Ringers, Hammers, etc.
Yeah and did you realize all but Shaymin are Items? Re-read my post and you'll know I was talking about using Trevenant+Wally. Check what Trevenant from XY base set does again :p.
 
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IMO both Trevenant & Seismitoad have great matchups against Ray. As long as Trevenant & Seismitoad aare able to shut down items ASAP. If an opposing Ray deck can get set up both quicker and start KOing Toad and Trevenant are much easier to deal with.
 
why not try the old team plasma, Jolteon with silver bangle and Deoxys Ex on the bench can devastate Rays, you could also run Leafeon to help toad match ups. I know Team plasma is not in standard format for long, but then there will be a nice new Jolteon which will help devastate Rays, also Shaymin is an easy target!
 
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