Standard Janky Raticate Break Deck!

[EarthwormZim]

Hey everyone, just a disclaimer: I know this will never be a meta deck. I do however have fond memories of using Raticate Break in tandem with Ariados AOR. I figured I can make a new standard variant using Nihilego GX instead of Ariados, with Bursting Balloon and Tapu Koko SM30/31 for additional ways to clean up.

**Edited 11/6/2017**

Pokémon (21)

4x Ratata (EVO)
4x Raticate (BKP)
4x Raticate BREAK
1x Oranguru
4x Nihilego GX
2x Tapu Koko SM30/31
2x Tapu Lele GX

Trainers (31)

4x Ultra Ball
4x Evosoda
2x Rescue Stretcher
1x Special Charge
1x Wally
3x Field Blower
4x Poison Barb
4x Professor Sycamore
4x N
2x Guzma
1x Brigette
1x Ninja Boy

Energy (8)
4x DCE
4x Counter Energy

Game plan:
Use Brigette turn 1 to get your Ratatta, Tapu Koko, and Oranguru on line, whichever you need most (depending on which basic you started). Use Evosoda and Wally to get a BREAK up ASAP and then for a single DCE start dropping the opponent's active to 10 HP. Playing a Nihilego from hand poisons and confuses both active Pokémon, but Raticate's ability prevents special conditions, so you get a OHKO for a DCE and no downside. If you don't have Nihilego GX in hand, attach Bursting Balloon to stall or force a trade, or if they start retreating, Flying Flip with Tapu Koko to KO any Pokémon you already softened up with Raticate.

Standard draw support, with ways to get Pokémon and energy back into hand or the deck from discard. Brigette is for turn 1 with Lele, Ninja Boy helps recover from starting a Nihilego GX, and can put one back in the deck from your bench for searching with Ultra Ball again. Wally helps get Raticate BREAK online turn 2 to start setting up KOs. 3 Field blower minimum since this is 100% an ability-dependent deck (though Super Fang into Flying Flip can still score some KOs without abilities).

Wanted to fit a single Tauros GX and a couple Acerolas to grab back Nihilegos, but space is tight and with no reliable way to get damage on Nihilego I opted not to use Acerola.

Again, not a good deck. But the Poisonous Nest variant from last season was the first deck I built on PTCGO and was a lot of fun. Losing a reusable poisoning ability hurts the flow of the deck, but Nihilego GX being Basic, and having Tapu Koko available for cleanup helps alleviate some of those drawbacks.

I'm considering teching in a Mr. Mime to protect the super squishy Ratattas that will be on the bench early game from Flying Flips.

Edit: Also wondering if Counter Energy and/or Counter Catcher would be good here? With a bunch of squishy rats I imagine you'll go behind in the early game. Chances of getting 3 of your 4 Psychic to use Nihilego as an attacker is slim to none anyway, so maybe 4 Counter Energy would be better. Would swap Super Rod for another Special Charge (or another Wally/Ninja Boy/Guzma) in that case.

 

[Connor Ritter]

I LOVE Raticate and its Super Fang since back in Plasma Freeze with Hypnotoxic Laser! Here's the list I've been debating myself:

Pokemon - 19
4 - Ratata (EVO)
4 - Raticate (BKP)
3 - Raticate BREAK (BKP)
4 - Nihilego GX (CRI)
2 - Tapu Lele GX (GRI)
1 - Celebi (Promo)
1 - Spiritomb (STS)

Trainer - 33
4 - Professor Sycamore
4 - N
3 - Guzma
2 - Brigette
1 - Misty's Determination
3 - Ultra Ball
3 - Super Scoop Up
2 - Field Blower
2 - Rescue Stetcher
2 - Evosoda
1 - Special Charge
4 - Poison Barb
2 - Float Stone

Energy - 8

4 - Double Colorless Energy
4 - Counter Energy

I would definitely max out Nihilego GX to maximize the number of poison knockouts you can get passing into your opponent's turn. I would also switch out Bursting Balloon for Poison Barb since Bursting Balloon will discard itself at the end of the turn regardless of if you're attacked. Plus if they switch into a healthy attacker, the poison damage from the barb can take a knockout next turn with Super Fang while the balloon damage won't. Rather than play Tapu Koko, my list includes Celebi and Spiritomb: Celebi places 1 damage counter on each of your opponent's Pokemon which will get you knockouts and bypass opposing Mr. Mimes. It's also got a neat ability that will prevent your opponent from taking a prize and shuffle it back into your deck if you flip heads. Spiritomb's Damage Play will let you consolidate benched damage and potentially take more efficient prizes. To answer you debate about Counter Energy, I recommend it. With how squishy everything in the deck is, you're bound to be behind in prizes early and be able to attack with anything for a single attachment. Let me know if there are any other card choices in my deck you're wondering about.

 

[EarthwormZim]

I LOVE Raticate and its Super Fang since back in Plasma Freeze with Hypnotoxic Laser! Here's the list I've been debating myself:

Pokemon - 19
4 - Ratata (EVO)
4 - Raticate (BKP)
3 - Raticate BREAK (BKP)
4 - Nihilego GX (CRI)
2 - Tapu Lele GX (GRI)
1 - Celebi (Promo)
1 - Spiritomb (STS)

Trainer - 33
4 - Professor Sycamore
4 - N
3 - Guzma
2 - Brigette
1 - Misty's Determination
3 - Ultra Ball
3 - Super Scoop Up
2 - Field Blower
2 - Rescue Stetcher
2 - Evosoda
1 - Special Charge
4 - Poison Barb
2 - Float Stone

Energy - 8

4 - Double Colorless Energy
4 - Counter Energy

I would definitely max out Nihilego GX to maximize the number of poison knockouts you can get passing into your opponent's turn. I would also switch out Bursting Balloon for Poison Barb since Bursting Balloon will discard itself at the end of the turn regardless of if you're attacked. Plus if they switch into a healthy attacker, the poison damage from the barb can take a knockout next turn with Super Fang while the balloon damage won't. Rather than play Tapu Koko, my list includes Celebi and Spiritomb: Celebi places 1 damage counter on each of your opponent's Pokemon which will get you knockouts and bypass opposing Mr. Mimes. It's also got a neat ability that will prevent your opponent from taking a prize and shuffle it back into your deck if you flip heads. Spiritomb's Damage Play will let you consolidate benched damage and potentially take more efficient prizes. To answer you debate about Counter Energy, I recommend it. With how squishy everything in the deck is, you're bound to be behind in prizes early and be able to attack with anything for a single attachment. Let me know if there are any other card choices in my deck you're wondering about.

I love the switch from Bursting Balloon to Poison Barb. To be honest, I forgot Poison Barb existed. I'll definitely switch to Counter Energy as well.

I like Celebi, but the G energy needed to attack makes it only able to attack when you're behind with Counter Energy. I like Koko more mostly for the colorless attack cost and free retreat.

I'm hoping Nihilego GX doesn't cost too many packs. I'm only gonna have 17 CRI for trade once PTCGO gets updated :-(

 

[Connor Ritter]

I love the switch from Bursting Balloon to Poison Barb. To be honest, I forgot Poison Barb existed. I'll definitely switch to Counter Energy as well.

I like Celebi, but the G energy needed to attack makes it only able to attack when you're behind with Counter Energy. I like Koko more mostly for the colorless attack cost and free retreat.

I'm hoping Nihilego GX doesn't cost too many packs. I'm only gonna have 17 CRI for trade once PTCGO gets updated :-(

After some testing it may prove that Koko is a better pick, but for now I'm gonna stick with Celebi. It's ability has helped me out a handful of times in past Raticate variants. Raticate already has free retreat so I don't see it as an important selling point. If you're in a situation where you're using Celebi, Spiritomb or Tapu Koko to clean up you're probably behind in prizes, but Tapu Koko can make use of DCEs while Celebi and Spiritomb can't.

I can't wait to start playing around with this once I get some Nihilego GX and counter enegry.

 

[EarthwormZim]

So I was able to get 4x Nihilego GX (one being a Hyper Rare from a single locked CRI pack lol) and 4x Counter Energy and I can confirm this is a lot of fun to play. Only played a handful of games, losing 1 to Greninja. Probably would have won if I had drawn an energy of any kind in the first 3-4 turns. He kinda stumbled and I just needed an energy to take out his only Frogadier but whiffed and then he proceeded to get set up and Giant Water Shuriken, at which point I conceded. Biggest issue with the deck seems to be bench space, which obviously can be mitigated with some number of Super Scoop Up. I'm just not a fan of the coin flip. Should probably add some though.