Discussion Aegislash Post-Rotation

Lanstar

The Cutest of Ladies
Member
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I have been thinking... Lately, we have been getting very good spread damage basics, such as Tapu Koko and Necrozma-GX. It makes me wonder if this card could become more powerful as time goes on. Yes, it is a stage 2, and has a fairly high attack cost. But it could potentially fit into several types of energy acceleration.

What do you all think?
 

BBsSearch

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I was thinking the same thing about this and Necozma-GX. Still haven't jumped on the Tapu Koko bandwagon though.
 

Rindon

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I had been using this with kyurem ex with some moderate success. I do think with necrozma especially vs the number of gx decks it could work really well. However I also think that most players once they see a necrozma on the bench will adjust play and not fully evolve into gx until needed....similar to how items are used sparingly the second a trubbish is dropped onto the bench for fear of trashalanche.
 

semurphy444

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I LOVE the idea of Necrozma/Aegislash. Black Ray/Painful Sword (both colorless attacks) combine (thusly named Black Sword!) to put 200 damage on EVERY GX or EX pokemon. Now lets say you put a TapuKoko out there before hand and get a Flying Flip- thats (120 damage again EVERYWHERE) Multiplied by 2- puts it at 240 which is getting a lot of KOs.

Necrozma needs 3 energy, Aegislash needs 3 energy- Max Elixer could work- but isnt always reliable. Once you evolve Honedge you cant Max Elixer there anymore. It just felt clunky.

Here is my solution: Vikavolt!... Another stage 2!?! Are you crazy? YES!
I run a 3-0-3 line of Vikavolt, along with a 3-0-3 of Aegislash. 4 Rare Candy, 4 Heavy Ball & 3 or 4 Skyla's. This is pretty reliable to set up and it chains itself nicely:
Ultra Ball can find a Lele
Lele can find a Skyla
Skyla can find a Rare Candy or Heavy Ball (whatever you dont have)
Heavy Ball can find either (Vikavolt or Aegislash)
Vikavolt can find the energy! (I run 4 DCE, 5 Electric, 4 Grass)

Pros
EVERYONE plays Lele- (instant 2 Prize Cards); another main attacker is probably a GX/EX- So up to 4 right there.
Rouge like no other- not many people will see the Aegislash coming.
It's set up for a HUGE end game...can make a comeback & it doesnt matter if you get KOed early
Slightly ability based- as Vikavolt helps with energy acceleration- but not the end of the world if it gets shut off
Once an attacker has done his job- you really dont care if he gets KOed.

Cons
Healing Decks-
(Max Potion/Acerola/SuperScoop Up/TapuCure/Ice PathGX)- As for the most part this is a one trick pony- If one GX gets healed- its not the worst; Could possibly come back with a Lele or Vikavolt attack to put at least 1/2 damage back out there for a 2HKO... But if multiples are healed; you could be out of luck.
How to adapt?- I don't know if I like falling behind even more early- so I end up doing a BlackRay & N on the same turn to limit cards? (But Octillary/Orangaru could be their counter) Maybe a Deliquent?- I still haven't quite played enough with this to see what to do...

Non-GX/EX Decks- If they're not playing EX/GX- Necrozma is useless.
How to adapt?- Vikavolt can OHKO quite a bit of stuff, (Passimiaan, Ninetales & Greninja) the 3 discard is annoying, but you get 2 back. I run Brock's Grit to pull back energy, maybe also need energy recycler- Could also get 2x Flying Flips and 2x Painful Swords and wipe out a whole army of Frogs as they are setting up.

Matchups
Insert Fire-GX/EX- Should dominate with Black Sword Combo

Darkrai GX/EX- Dark Gone with Black Sword

Lapras GX- No challenge

DrampaGarb- This one you might need some luck- as if you Fly Flip- you activate Beserk. If you Necrozma Block the Drampa; that can get penetrated with Garbotoxin-and shuts down Vikavolt's energy bank. (so hopefully that one's prized- or you move quickly enough to get to Black Sword. (You run the actual risk of TapuCure here- but hopefully they BigWheeled previously?) And I dont see Black Sword always pulling 6 prizes, might only be 4- and you're left to go after 2 Garb's (Which you'll prolly lose the Aegislash- which puts you probably to the Vika & Lele)

EspyGarb- I like this a lot better; if i have 2 TapuKoko's set up- Avoid confusion by free retreat and Fly Flip- Necrozma still will hit a Lele and one Espeon maybe 2?. And then if you got 3 Fly Flips in, the sword could also take out the trash as well.

Stage 2 GXs- Here I think you need an element of surprise and hope they dont get max potions, Not too worried about Acerola, as if it takes that long to set up- they probably arent bringing it back into their hand. Hopefully here though they'll over set up- and you hit a 3 Metagross & a Lele (total of 4) with Black Ray; after being Flipped twice- so if they heal 1- you'll still get 3 KOs with the Sword.

Golisiopod- EEEEK! Likely to see Potions/Acerola- the quick 120 gets the Koko. I'm not sure how to turn this into a "W"
 

Mora

Don't Panic
Member
Maybe it could work as a late game finisher. Not a deck built around him, but like you use his attack only once and you take your last 4 prize cards or something. Play like a 2-2-2 in a Tapu Koko spread deck and just take your time to set up Aegislash. It's not a Stage 2 like Vikavolt where if you miss getting it out quickly, you loose the game.
 

LePokeRoi

Fountain of Knowledge
Member
I recently built an online deck focused around spread damage from Koko and Necrozma, but instead of using Aegislash as a finisher, I used Spiritomb for Steam Siege. For a dark and colorless, it lets you rearrange the damage counters on your opponents side of the field. Essentially you can just add up the damage and if it is greater than the sum of 3 GXs, you win. In addition, you go full on survival mode with Tapu Koko; 4 Fighting Fury Belts and 4 Aether Paradise Conservation Areas. It gives it an effective HP of 180, which is difficult for most Pokemon to hit without Choice Band (Drampa and Metagross hit 150, Golisopod can't even KO with the GX attack, super easy setup means many items won't be played for Garb, Volc can get that high but they get wrecked by Necrozma, Espeon only hits 120 which means it needs either to stay alive) They can't use Field Blower every turn.

So assuming my opponent has a full bench, Koko is doing 130 Damage for one energy attachment (20 to bench, 30 to active with FFB) and has an HP of 180 and gives up one prize. The minimum damage you'd need on the board is 510, to KO 3 Leles. That's 4 attacks plus Spiritomb. Not even counting Necrozma GX. You could get 510 in one turn if you have a FFB on it and the active is a GX. If there are not 3 Leles, then 1 Koko spread lets you get up 3 GXs with 210 HP, and the next lets you reach 250.

And I'm not even considering KOs that just leave your opponents with no attackers. You only need 460 to KO 2 Gardevoir GXs. If they have Diancie and Lele left, they are not in a good spot. And this deck is an instant setup. Koko + DCE is the minimum, and it's not hard to pull off. I currently play Scoop Ups to retrieve my Kokos when they survive, but Energy Loto is another option.

I also play 3 Guzma + Lysandre (It's still pre-rotation, but will be even better afterwards) and 3 Field Blower so I can possibly strand Pokemon like Oranguru in the active and spread.

But Spiritomb is the finisher here.
 

21times

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I've tried Aegislash a lot in the past - with Trev Break and more recently with Baby Koko, but I'm currently having a LOT more success with Koko, Weavile (BUS), and Meowstic (Generations). As a stage 2, minimum 2 attachment attacker, Aegislash is just too clunky. What is key about Meowstic is that I can take the damage and move it to attacking Pokemon. If an opponent is left with Pokemon that can't attack, they can't win the match. Plus, Meowstic is a single energy attacker which is key since you're active Pokemon usually gets KO'd every turn.
But yes it is pretty awesome when you can use Painful Sword to take eight or nine prize cards and close out the match.
 

taschen88

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Building a deck around promo Koko and Aegislash sounds fun! I'd add Multi Switch to the deck, maybe 2 or 3 to transfer DCE from Koko to Aegislash.
While still waiting for rotation, Rough Seas is still this deck's biggest threat - so I think adding Delinquent and/or Silent Lab should do the trick.
This deck works somewhat like the Koko + Honchkrow combo, but slower and potentially more rewarding.

Post here on your results! :) Would love to know how this deck fares :)
 

P3DS

UK VGC Regs Champ 2015
Member
I'd highly suggest adding Po town and espeon ex to any version of aegislash. Swarm with damage, as and devolve big GXs down. Po town adds more damage too. It can be very nasty with espon down
 

taschen88

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I'd highly suggest adding Po town and espeon ex to any version of aegislash. Swarm with damage, as and devolve big GXs down. Po town adds more damage too. It can be very nasty with espon down


OOOO I haven't edited my deck since GRI, this new card from BUS will do Aegislash good! :)

I've had a game wherein Aegislash KO 3 Pokemon-EX/GX (a Volcanion deck) and land me 6 prizes in 1 turn, lol. Of course there was a lot of stalling involved, some weird Guzma/Lysandre + Bursting Balloon combos that must've led my opponent confused on wtf I was trying to do. Once 2 or more of their Pokémon had 100 or more damage, I used Ninjaboy to get my Honedge from the deck and Rare Candy'd my way to use Painful Sword!! :D 6 prizes won in 1 turn!! :D That said, Aegislash is pretty slow to setup and best used late-game, preferably with stealth on your side... And Ninjaboy is one of the best, underrated cards in the game.

BKP Espeon-EX is an invaluable asset to the Aegislash deck. If Painful Sword didn't get to do as much damage as intended, or if you didn't get to setup Aegislash at all, Espeon-EX's Miracle Shine works wonders to help KO your opponent's Pokémon - well, those that can/have Evolve(d) anyway. In my experience, Espeon-EX gets the chance to KO Pokémon much more frequently than Aegislash can. :)
 

P3DS

UK VGC Regs Champ 2015
Member
OOOO I haven't edited my deck since GRI, this new card from BUS will do Aegislash good! :)

I've had a game wherein Aegislash KO 3 Pokemon-EX/GX (a Volcanion deck) and land me 6 prizes in 1 turn, lol. Of course there was a lot of stalling involved, some weird Guzma/Lysandre + Bursting Balloon combos that must've led my opponent confused on wtf I was trying to do. Once 2 or more of their Pokémon had 100 or more damage, I used Ninjaboy to get my Honedge from the deck and Rare Candy'd my way to use Painful Sword!! :D 6 prizes won in 1 turn!! :D That said, Aegislash is pretty slow to setup and best used late-game, preferably with stealth on your side... And Ninjaboy is one of the best, underrated cards in the game.

BKP Espeon-EX is an invaluable asset to the Aegislash deck. If Painful Sword didn't get to do as much damage as intended, or if you didn't get to setup Aegislash at all, Espeon-EX's Miracle Shine works wonders to help KO your opponent's Pokémon - well, those that can/have Evolve(d) anyway. In my experience, Espeon-EX gets the chance to KO Pokémon much more frequently than Aegislash can. :)

Something coming out in the not to distant future would be promo lele. It's similar to STS spiritomb with damage rearranging, but is psychic, so can pair nicely with necrozma without needing dark energies, and also has a nice first attack similar to mewtwo EVO.
Tapu Lele – Psychic – HP110
Basic Pokemon

[P] Psycho Wave: 20x damage. This attack does 20 damage times the number of Energy attached to your opponent’s Active Pokemon.

[P][C] Magical Swap: Rearrange the damage counters on your opponent’s Pokemon in any way you like.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1
 

Draskk

Blast From The Past
Member
I've always loved this card and I also always found it strange that it never saw competitive play. Now, with so many good spread Pokemon in the format, I think it may be it's time to shine. Here's a list I put together:

Pokémon (24):

2x Tapu Koko
1x Necrozma GX
3x Weavile BUS
3x Sneasel BUS
1x Mr. Mime
4x Tapu Lele GX
1x Espeon EX
1x Tapu Lele (Promo)
3x Aegislash
2x Doublade
3x Honedge

Trainers (28):

4x Sycamore
4x N
1x Skyla
1x Brigette
2x Nest Ball
4x Ultra Ball
3x Rare Candy
2x Special Charge
1x Rescue Stretcher
1x Super Rod
2x Float Stone
3x Po Town

Energy (8):

4x Psychic Energy
4x Double Colorless Energy

The list has some flaws, but I think with some work it could be a really good deck :)
 
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