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Cancario (Lucario EX / Energy Denial)

Talkingcat

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Pokemon:


  • 3 Lucario EX (FFI)
    1 Mega Lucario (FFI)
    1 Landorus EX (BC)
    1 Landorus (FFI)
    2 Hawlucha (FFI)
    1 Terrakion (BC)

Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums:

  • 3 Korinna
    3 Professor Sycamore
    4 N
    3 Lysandre
    1 Team Flare Grunt
    1 Xerosic
    1 Pokemon Centre Lady
    4 Crushing Hammer
    3 Enhanced Hammer
    3 VS Seeker
    2 Muscle Band
    1 Silver Bangle
    3 Fighting Stadium
    2 Switch
    1 Escape Rope
    1 Professor's Letter
    2 Ultra Ball
    1 Computer Search
    1 Startling Megaphone
    1 Bicycle

Energy:

  • 4 Strong Energy
    6 Fighting Energy

Strategy:
The strategy is very obvious:

The deck focuses on energy denial, hence a full complement of hammers and a reasonable number of energy denial supporters. You use Lucario EX as your main attacker, and will use "corkscrew smash" almost every turn. This does 60 (in practice much more because of strong energy, muscle bands etc) and allows you to draw your hand to 6, which means (a) you start every turn with 7 cards, and (b) you don't need to use a draw supporter, and can play Xerosic or Team Flare Grunt. With VS seeker you should be able to re-use your Team Flare Grunt and Xerosic, and with a full line of Korinna you will always be able to find hammers. Once you get ahead and have taken out most of their energy, you can use Somersault Kick and even mega-evolve if you want to.

Terrakion is there to deal with safeguarders, while Mega Lucario is there for Pyroar and just as another option. Hawlucha is there just because it is so useful.

The nickname of the deck is a reference to the Toad/Slurpuff deck "cancer". That deck maxes out energy denial in the same way, and uses PUF's Tasting as an alternative draw engine. This deck doesn't have item lock, but it has a better draw engine, better damage output and better support (Korinna, in particular).

I think the deck has some potential, but need help fine-tuning the deck. As well as some specific decisions, I am not sure about whether in general I should just go more "all in", e.g. cut back a few Pokemon and add more VS Seeker and more energy denial supporters.

Edit- revised deck list
 
RE: Cancario (Lucario EX plus energy denial)

CollectiveCubchoo said:
I'd make room for a FUF Landorus for retrieving energy late game.

Thanks, yes... that is one of the things I was thinking about. Not quite sure what to remove though.
 
RE: Cancario (Lucario EX plus energy denial)

I think you should run 4 String and 4 Fighting, since all of your main attackers have cheap Energy costs, that would leave you 4 spots. Suggestions for those:
+3 Landorus FFI and...maybe one more Hawlucha? Not sure what else to add xD
 
RE: Cancario (Lucario EX plus energy denial)

Vom said:
I think you should run 4 String and 4 Fighting, since all of your main attackers have cheap Energy costs, that would leave you 4 spots. Suggestions for those:
+3 Landorus FFI and...maybe one more Hawlucha? Not sure what else to add xD

Yeah, I could cut the energy. But I'd be worried about playing only 4 non-special energy in a game with so many enhanced hammers. I might try it with 4 strong and 6 fighting and see how it runs. If it runs smooth and doesn't get into trouble late game, I can cut it more.

2 Landorus FFI does seem like the obvious use for the two spots.
 
Opposing Mewtwo EX will be a major problem for this deck. I'd consider running one of your own to minimize Lucario's Psychic weakness.
 
I would suggest running a couple of head ringers, as well as mewtwo EX not sure what you should take out for those though.
 
Summary of changes made so far

-2 fighting energy
-1 enhanced hammer
-1 Korinna
-1 Team Flare Grunt
-1 Xerosic
-1 Lucario EX
-1 Terrakion
+ 1 Landorus EX
+ 1 Baby Landorus
+ 1 Computer search
+1 Megaphone
+ 1 N
+ 1 Lysandre
+ 1 Pokemon centre lady

Mostly self-explanatory. Pokemon Centre Lady may not last, I am just experimenting with healing options, and with the VS seeker count, it seems a useful one-of. I may replace this with Trump Card at some point, to get my hammers back if I need them.

I toned down both TFG and Xerosic because they are a bit situational. TFG requires the energy to be on the active, Xersoic requires special energy, and you can't always get to the point where you are using corkscrew smash. So more supporter cards and other cards to get you by in other situations seemed the right call.

One less Korinna (3 is fine especially with 3 VS seeker) and one more N. I increased the Lysandre count because I want to try running 3 in more decks.

Finally, a more balanced Pokemon line- a Landorus EX for one Lucario EX, and a baby Landorus for one Terrakion.


totodile_it_down said:
Opposing Mewtwo EX will be a major problem for this deck. I'd consider running one of your own to minimize Lucario's Psychic weakness.

I am not crazy about using Mewtwo to counter Mewtwo. One misplay and you lose two prizes and a bunch of energy. Mewtwo is less effective without DCE too, and I don't want to run it.

If I think I am playing psychic/Mewtwo I prefer to be cautious with my Lucario. Try and attack Mewtwo with a Hawlucha, and finish with Terrakion's retailiate.
 
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