Discussion Expanded GX Combos with Cradily BW

Fayld

Rayquaza / Eelektross Master
Member
So, I have been doing some toying around with Cradily from the BW era and have come to the conclusion that I think there is going to be a 7-8 month period where this card can really shine in expanded tournaments with the new stage 2 GX cards. While there is some awkwardness with the mechanics of getting a Cradily set up T1, I have found that it is generally easier to pull off a T1 Cradily than I had initially thought there would be. With all the support in expanded for getting items into your discard + Talonflame as a backup for when T1 fails to get you a Lileep benched or FoGP to get the T1 stage up, I generally was pleasantly surprised at just how easily Cradily could come out and start setting up S2 pokemon.

That got me thinking about all the incredible S2 GX pokemon that are coming out with S&M + the fact that Expanded will be B&W through S&M for the remainder of the season (assuming there hasn't been or won't be an announcement changing this). The fact that Cradily can get a minimum of 1 S2 out on T1 if you are super lucky and T2 if you aren't seems like it could be a massive advantage and make it worth running a 3-3 / 4-4 line along with the corresponding 4 items to get Lileep onto your bench.

So, throwing it out there. Anyone else think about this card combination?
 
I used to fiddle around with Cradily before I realised the amount of amazing Stage 2s was actually pretty limited. However, we've got things like Solgaleo and Lunala now that could potentially work really well. The concern is always going to be clunkiness and consistency once Cradily is set up, and of course, Cradily is your only mean of getting these Pokemon out.
 
Seems like it could be really strong. Perhaps playing cradily with vileplume and lurantis could prove to be fun?
 
This combo looks amazing on the surface. Other than being worth testing, it opens up the possibility of a GX toolbox deck. If we get GXs that are stage two with good synergy but take too long to get out, you are absolutely correct that this strategy will shine. There are a ton of complex builds you could make, like the Gardevoir who multiplies psychic energies, Lunaala and Mewtwo EX. A turbo mewtwo build sounds horrifying, but T1 makes it even scarier. The real fear is what basics would you play to avoid donk and would you have enough of a late game if need be.
 
This combo looks amazing on the surface. Other than being worth testing, it opens up the possibility of a GX toolbox deck. If we get GXs that are stage two with good synergy but take too long to get out, you are absolutely correct that this strategy will shine. There are a ton of complex builds you could make, like the Gardevoir who multiplies psychic energies, Lunaala and Mewtwo EX. A turbo mewtwo build sounds horrifying, but T1 makes it even scarier. The real fear is what basics would you play to avoid donk and would you have enough of a late game if need be.

Honestly, I definitely think you are onto something with that last statement. It don't believe it should be used to get your primary attacker out. Mewtwo EX doesn't need that help. But Mewtwo EX could sure as heck use a way to get some of the quality S2 support out ASAP. I honestly think there are going to be some nasty combos out there with this card. Then again, people have been saying exactly this since the card originally came out LOL! I just think this might be the first time there are actually S2 cards worth working this hard to pull out.
 
Honestly, I definitely think you are onto something with that last statement. It don't believe it should be used to get your primary attacker out. Mewtwo EX doesn't need that help. But Mewtwo EX could sure as heck use a way to get some of the quality S2 support out ASAP. I honestly think there are going to be some nasty combos out there with this card. Then again, people have been saying exactly this since the card originally came out LOL! I just think this might be the first time there are actually S2 cards worth working this hard to pull out.
To clarify, you wouldn't be getting Mewtwo out that way. That would just be silly.
 
Well yeah, cuz you can't get Mewtwo out that way LOL! But it would also be silly LOL!

I was more saying that you generally don't need to plan around getting Mewtwo down beyond an ultra ball and maybe a Hoopa EX if you are feeling frisky :)

The stage 2s are a whole different story though!
 
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